


The Butterfly Effect

by TheSkySage



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Gen, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, Manga Inspired, Self-Insert, Thankfully it starts okay, a lot worse, with some anime parts thrown in for variety
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-24
Updated: 2019-04-07
Packaged: 2019-06-15 16:57:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 50
Words: 93,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15417471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSkySage/pseuds/TheSkySage
Summary: Sometimes all it takes to make a big difference is one little change. (self-insert)





	1. Deus Ex Machina

**Author's Note:**

> First and, hopefully, last shameless self-insert. It's imported from FF.net, if you've seen the work on there, that'd be me. Just a warning, there's going to be a lot of ground to cover and while the main character is a self-insert, I have been trying my absolute best to keep as far from the Mary-Sue stereotypes as possible.
> 
> Also, as a reminder, there are currently (and this is me saying this all the way from the fiftieth chapter) no pairings. Romance isn't a major point of this story since this retakes the events of the series and spins them differently. I don't think anyone would think about romance when one's life is in danger.
> 
> Anyway, without any further ado, enjoy the first chapter!

A lot of people would have called it deus ex machina. Some kind of godly intervention that would, in an ironic twist, make a lot of people jealous or envious. There are even some of them who would scream at their screen in anger, rage at the complete coincidence of the situation and say that I didn't deserve the position that I was given or that they would have been happy to be in the situation I was.

And while I agree with the first, the second is one I can't even begin to. Not when I woke up in a hospital bed, IVs and breathing tube in my throat, wondering where I was before being surrounded by nurses and a doctor who rushed to check my vitals. Not when the tube was carefully removed, making me cough before the doctor asked me to breathe slowly as they took my temperature. There was nothing happy about finding yourself in a hospital when you're pretty sure that the accident you were in just cost you your life. Nothing envious about the fact that, once they were sure I was stable, the doctor simply sat in a chair, asking questions that didn't clarify where or when I was.

So I wasn't happy or ecstatic. I wasn't even wondering how I'd landed there in the first place. I was confused. Sure I was happy that I was alive, even though everything felt wrong and I had a feeling that things wouldn't get any better from there, but the question of how the hell I survived was a whole lot more important than anything else at that moment, and, with my lack of voice because of the breathing tube, I wasn't about to figure that out just yet. Really, really not about to when my body started feeling heavy without the nurse putting anything into the IVs attached to me, the beeping of my heart slowly fading into the background. The simple fact that I had woken up in such an upstart fashion had exhausted me, and I couldn't hold anymore. It was time to sleep and sleep restfully.

At least, that was what the doctor told me.

My dreams, though, were far from that. The questions, the confusion, and, more importantly, the fact that I had seen the car I had been in crumpling before glass had hit my face and a piece of metal hitting straight center in my chest were enough to drive me awake more than a few times, leading the medical staff to post a nurse in my room until the trauma passed. If you counted the fact that I was being reminded that I died an ultimately violent death a trauma. The presence of the nurse helped, though, so complaints were out the window as I learned to get reacquainted with myself with every start.

I was definitely shorter — I remembered reaching both ends of a hospital bed and now, while my head was reaching the top of the bed, even stretching didn't let me reach the end of it — and my hair was a whole lot longer since I could feel it on my shoulders and see it flow along my sides, reaching my waist. I had all my senses. Even if I couldn't eat because of an irritated throat, I could hear, see, feel and smell. And while I didn't have perfect movement, I could still move. The jerks and quick twitches from my hands confirmed that I wasn't infirm, and, with a bit of reeducation, I would be able to stand, even walk, which, all things considered, should not have even been a possibility since I had died.

But all of that flew out the window when the doctor came back with a smile after it became obvious that I could hold for more than a few hours awake — it took a few weeks, and, most of the time, I couldn't even reeducate my body since the nurse was around and would notice if I so much as shuffled — telling me that my family was in for a visit. As far as I was concerned, I had no family. I had a husband, maybe even a few friends, but no real family to talk about. My father was long dead, my mother and sister had forced my departure and made the need to cut them out more than necessary, so I had no family.

Yet when the door opened, I could no longer deny that I had a family.

The women, two of them, were first, wearing typical Asian features and, although they were both politely quiet, the fact that either one them went to grab my hand and the one that I supposed to be my mother — of the few words she said, daughter was one of them — gently passed a hand along my face with a kind, relieved smile made it clear that I was one of them. The men were next, and there were two of them also. The first was supposed to be my father, of that I was sure because it finally gave an explanation to the lighter brown hair I had compared to the two women. But it was the second man, the second man who could only be my brother from the age, unless I was wrong about the whole thing, that had me reeling.

I knew that haircut. I'd known it for years. I might not have known that uniform he was wearing, but I knew that mohawk, even if I didn't recall the face of its bearer being so young.

My mouth took off without my consent and I found myself rasping, "Hiroto."

The reaction was immediate. He looked up, at me before looking at his — our father who simply nodded, making the man, the boy get up and slowly, almost hesitantly, make his way to my bed, looking extremely uncomfortable as he took the hand I'd outstretched to him and I got a better look of his face.

Of all the places to land. Of all the things that I had thought possible but, ultimately, set aside because it was too much of a stretch to even try believing in them, how was this one even true? I could — I could understand them. I could understand them and I knew, I knew they couldn't be speaking English because I knew that Hiroto, Honda Hiroto was his Japanese name. I was in Japan. How the hell could I understand them when I spoke only bits of Japanese where I'd been before I died?!

If I needed any more confirmation that this was a deus ex machina after the fact that I was still alive after dying in a car crash, this would have clinched it. This would have definitely clinched it as Hiroto, my brother, turned to look at his — our father who again nodded before the former swallowed and said, "Hello, little sister."

Some people would have been happy with this. Some people would have killed to be in my place. I wasn't. I wouldn't.

Of all the places to land, why here?


	2. Adjusting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a comment about this on FF.net asking as to why this particular character would even want to get involved knowing that things will turn out okay. I never replied to them because I honestly was afraid that I would fall on their head for not understanding that I needed a premise and that there's something rather important about my personality. Okay is not fine. Okay does not mean that there won't be any mental scars left. And for all of its happy ending (which I honestly don't understand considering the amount of pressure those kids go through), there is still some stuff that either feel unresolved or glossed over entirely (Mr. Takahashi said it himself that the last arc of the story was rushed and he was sick at the time) which are all things I am trying to bring together and make sense of.
> 
> So yeah, expect small divergences when things kick off and for me to delve a bit more into the characters themselves.

It took me weeks to get my mind sorted out. Weeks of listening without talking, making me both glad and peeved for the irritation in my throat thanks to the tube. I couldn't speak. I couldn't speak, so I couldn't ask anything, which was both a blessing and a curse as I discovered that someone, the original owner of this body whose name was Megumi, had been there before until the age of seven. It was now four years later, and I had, somehow, claimed this body for my own while the real Megumi was somewhere out there, and the possibility that she had actually died during the accident that had made her fall into a coma was not off the counter at this point.

This smelled like a bad joke, and the irony that I was so obviously before the events of the series I knew so well was not making me laugh at all.

The only advantage I had from being quiet and subdued was the fact that I could slowly sort the information I was being given through the reeducation lessons. I could glean a little bit of information, figure out who Megumi had been to know how close or how far I was from the person I was unwillingly taking the place of and then work my way from there. But that also meant that I had to lie and say that I was who I wasn't, which seriously hurt my pride and forced me to constantly reevaluate things. In the end, at least for that subject, I simply agreed with myself on the fact that I would play along but tried to be myself no matter what.

Why? Two reasons. One, I couldn't bring myself to completely be who I wasn't. Two, which was quickly becoming the most compelling reason not to break the lie and tell the Hondas, my entire family that I wasn't who I was and probably meet a psychiatrist that would stuff me with pills, was someone I was quickly becoming attached to without even trying.

Honda Hiroto, my older brother of one year, was an absolute sweetheart.

Sure, he was always covered with bruises and bandages, sometimes had trouble walking because of a rather nasty injury inflicted to one of his legs, but he was the most present out of the four I still tentatively called family along with my mother who was making sure that I was fed and the one that was making sure that my reeducation went alright. I cannot count the number of times he caught me just as I was falling before helping me back up and secure my hold onto the bars. I cannot count the number of times he supported me as I slowly straightened myself to make sure that I wasn't unbalanced while catching me just in time when my foot slipped and I nearly landed on the floor. And I cannot count the number of times I heard him talking to the nurse before coming in and greeting me with a smile that became less and less awkward as he visited.

He was responsible, dedicated, understood his role and didn't shirk from it. It took him days to talk, and even more to stay until I fell asleep, but he came back day after day, adjusting himself to a role that he'd gone four years without, obviously willing to make the effort.

So for him, if no one else, I would be the little sister. For him, if no one else, I would live the lie that part of me still screamed at because I'd worked hard to become the person I'd been.

Hence, why I didn't kick up a fuss when they told me I was ready to go home. Why I just settled into the room I was given and didn't think twice when Hiroto told me that he was the room right in front of mine if I needed anything. And why every day without exception, after mom would sit me down and carefully teach me how to read and write so that I could finally "relearn" the kanjis, I would sit near the window and wait for my older brother to come home.

They say that you get attached to familiar things in an unfamiliar world. They say you go looking for them and refuse to let them go. I could only guess that they were right as every time Hiroto, my brother came home from school, the only thing I wanted to do and did was hug him and welcome him home before we'd go to his room, and he'd tell me about his day.

Well, while I took care of his bruises and cuts, that is.

Because Honda Hiroto, as sweet as he was at home, was still a troublemaker, and he had a friend — whom I could only guess was Jonouchi Katsuya, troublemaker extraordinaire — who kept making things worse for my brother. So bruises, near busted knees and bleeding knuckles were a regular thing I had to deal with but didn't question too much since I liked taking care of him. I liked being able to give back for everything he did for me.

Which I couldn't do if he was stuck in detention all the time.

Yep, little sister or not, he was still a bully, and I ended up waiting for him longer than usual some days, making me speak up about it the moment I could somewhat hold a conversation and getting a look that was torn between respect for his friend and love for his little sister, making me realize for the first time just how much I meant to him. The guilt when he agreed to go without detention for a week during the month in progress almost hurt in its intensity.

Because that, in and of itself, was a whole other struggle. The delicate balance I was trying to strike was extremely difficult to achieve. I had accepted that I now had another name, another existence, but turning to the sound of "Megumi" was still hard, although I was slowly getting better at it. The only thing saving me from looking like a total fool was the fact that, on the outside, Honda Megumi had been in a coma. A four-year coma that had wiped her mind of everything but a few things, her brother being one of those things. Her mind had been wiped, and a change in personality was not unheard-of.

That was why, to help myself with the process, I eventually asked — gently, I might add — if I could get a haircut. I knew that, when starting over, a haircut, for whatever reason, had always helped me. Whether it be because of an ex-boyfriend or even because I had finally been able to adjust to the fact that something needed to be started over, a haircut had always been a good place to start with.

However, I met another debate with myself when I got at that point. Hiroto, my brother, had taken the habit of tying my hair in a ponytail before he left. He'd seen me trying to tie my hair once, and only once, and had, without a word, taken the hair tie from my hands when he realized that I still didn't have the necessary strength to tie it up myself before tying it up himself. It was messy, disorganized, but I didn't care. He'd done me yet another favor with a proud smile and hadn't let up since, getting better every time he did it.

I honestly didn't want to think of how upset he'd get if I got it cut so short that he couldn't tie it up for me anymore.

So I compromised. I had it cut to only half as short as I was used to, while not having the full length I had currently, so it reached the middle of my shoulder blades instead of my waist, which made it a whole lot easier and brought me one step closer to finally fitting the role I was unwittingly given.

I could only hope that I wouldn't fail the chance I was given and that Hiroto, my big brother, would forgive me for all the differences I had between the real Megumi and myself. Didn't matter if Megumi and I shared the same birthday, as I discovered during the first year of my "coming back". Didn't matter if we had similarities, and he loved me hanging around him, although he did get annoyed with me fussing over his injuries every once in a while.

I just wanted to make sure that I was strong enough, capable enough, to defend him against what I knew was coming.


	3. Starting on the Wrong Foot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, thanks for kudos. They bring an absolute smile to my face every time I see them and they brighten my day. Second, thank you all for sticking around. This story takes a while to get off the ground, but once it does, it takes off. Just give it a few chapters. It gets more actiony in a bit.

I did. It took four years, four long years during which I watched my older getting bruised, but telling me that his friend was finally coming around, four painful years during which I sometimes felt like an impostor — thing my assigned psychologist tried to reassure me over the first two years — while trying to find a delicate balance, but I did. At least physically.

That was how I found myself entering Domino High School as a freshman alongside Hiroto who was returning as a junior, glad that I had dealt with puberty by myself — there was no way I was dealing with puberty again around a bunch of preteens while I was feeling like a freaking impostor — and still feeling a little unstable, but understanding that, if I didn't go now, there was a chance that everything I knew would hit, and I wouldn't be there for it, leaving my brother to deal with a mess that I didn't, couldn't leave him to deal with alone. He'd done too much for me to leave to himself when I knew about what was coming for him.

Of course, coming out of nowhere with no real background save for being the sister of Honda Hiroto didn't win me any points with my future schoolmates. They already had established groups and gangs, and the fact that I settled in the first row of the class while staying at a respectable distance of the teacher's desk — reflex of a time I had worn glasses — had not helped in the least. But I didn't care. I had passed most of my life by myself and if they wanted to hold me at arm's length, that was fine. I had bigger fish to fry, and again, I wasn't going to deal with teenagers whose only care was to fit in.

No, I was more interested in making sure that my brother was alright, and trying to figure out when the events of the series would clinch in to bother with them. I was more worried with my brother's future than about my image.

Hence, how I found myself waiting from brother by the gate at the end of the first day, feeling nervous when he came out with no other than Jonouchi Katsuya, the blonde looking considerably irate about the fact that I was there.

"Dude, your sister is like glue."

And not surprised that he was already bad mouthing me as they approached. Alternate universe or not — because there was no way to explain my existence and presence otherwise — Jonouchi Katsuya was still a bully with a big mouth, at least for now. Until Yuugi came into the picture, which he probably already had to some extent, Jonouchi was nothing more than a man slowly going uphill, but promising to hit rock bottom the moment everything hit.

So I could only be happy when Hiroto did not change course and actually went to me after hesitating, bringing a small smile to my face as I asked, "How was your day, big brother?" while watching, monitoring Jonouchi's reaction from the corner of my eye as he put his hands into pockets and sulked.

To say that my heart was beating ninety miles an hour because I was afraid to mess this up was an understatement.

"Fine until you showed up."

And the fact that my big brother's friend was being such a jerk did not help things, either.

I briefly considered taking off. Tell my brother that I would wait for him at home, and take the next train there without looking back.

"Jonouchi..."

"Dude, let's go. She's fine. We're wasting daylight here."

After all, he was safe, and he could take care of himself, at least for now. Sure, Jonouchi was not the type of person I wanted him hanging around with, at least before he met up with Yuugi and realized that the young, somewhat eccentric nerd had a heart as big as a planet, but there was nothing I could do about that at the moment, if ever.

He was fine. Let go.

I gave my best smile and simply told my brother that I'd go home before turning on my heels and starting to walk off. I then heard two things. Jonouchi saying good riddance, which only had me taking a breath as I closed my eyes, and the sound of a punch hitting its target that, this time, had me turning around to see the blonde on the ground and holding his jaw while screaming, "Dude, what the hell?!"

I rushed forward only to find my big brother's arms stretching itself out, stopping me as he spoke, "You don't get to talk about my sister like that. Ever."

Not good. Not good at all. All I wanted was to make sure my brother was okay, not get him into a fight with his best friend. I — gosh, I screwed up.

I watched Jonouchi spit blood, reminding me of the emergency first aid kit I had taken extra care of taking with me. The sooner my brother's wounds were taken care of the better, since it made mom worry a whole lot less, but now — finds out that it was going to be useful for someone else than Hiroto.

I looked up at him, "Big brother..." and he lowered his arm at my plea, letting me hesitate and ask, "I... would like to check your wound. I can patch it up if you'd like."

I didn't like sounding uncertain. I didn't like the fact that it made me sound fragile, vulnerable. But hell, I'd just made my big brother punch Jonouchi. Not exactly a thing to be proud of, certainly when I'd so clearly overstepped my boundaries.

"And how the fuck are you going to do that?"

So I was kind of glad when the blonde didn't outright reject me, instead giving me a chance to prove that I could, and would take care of his wound. And I was happy when his reaction to me handing my bag to my big brother so that I could pull out the first aid kit was simply to blink at me in surprise.

I just hoped that meant my brother was forgiven as I went to take a step forward, only for him to scramble to get up the second I did, making me frown.

"Nah-ah. I didn't say you could. I -"

"Shut the fuck up, Jonouchi. She offered," my brother interjected, but knowing, realizing that I was going to have to eventually say something for myself. I couldn't let this continue. If I wanted to protect Hiroto, I had to -

"And I can take care of myself, you ass. I don't need the help -"

"Unless you want another punch, I suggest you stop," I said, unable to help the nervousness and realizing that I was being an idiot. Not because I didn't care for my reputation, that I knew what was coming that everyone did. For them, the game of image, of looking cool, was still under play. So a little sister who couldn't defend herself, who clung to her older brother like a second skin, was not cool. Didn't matter if my big brother was willing to defend what a lot of people would call my honor and the fact that he had almost lost me, Jonouchi was worried about his image, his pride.

And it's going to sound selfish to say, but only I could make Jonouchi realize why my brother didn't care. I took a breath and spoke again, "Please, stop saying stuff like that. It's only going to get you hurt. My brother is very defensive of me. He... almost lost me to a coma. I'm sorry I'm in your way and I'll go away soon, but... let me just check your wound. He wouldn't have punched you if it weren't for me and I'm sorry. I want to make this right. Please. 'Cause if I'm right, then you're my brother's best friend and I don't want to ruin that."

Before biting my bottom lip and looking at the ground. It had been a long, long time since I'd felt this out of place. Too long, maybe. And I really needed to get my act in order if I wanted to be a part of anything. No more doubts, no more nervousness.

… I still felt like crying.

"Is she serious?"

I didn't hear my brother's answer, but just from the sound and the swear Jonouchi gave after his question, I knew that he'd nodded, and felt a bit of the weight I felt on my shoulders lift, making it a bit easier to breathe. I could set this right, I could. I just needed a chance.

"Dude, Honda, I'm... fuck."

But I knew that saying anything as Jonouchi tried to apologize, of that, I was sure, would only make it worse. I couldn't mention his sister since she hadn't even been mentioned yet, and talking about his father and the abuse I knew Jonouchi was at the end of would only get me in serious trouble. It was hard. It was difficult to know this much and know when, how to say it. I had to hold my tongue and play along.

"It's alright, Jonouchi."

"The fuck it's alright! I — shit! Why didn't you tell me?"

"You didn't ask."

But, as I was finding out, shutting my mouth and letting things go was alright, enlightening, even. I knew already that Jonouchi was prone to dramatics and had a big mouth, but I hadn't known that they'd kept their family lives at distance from each other. Whether to avoid conflict or general protection, my brother and Jonouchi had decided to keep their families out of their friendship.

I could only imagine how my brother had justified the need to get a week free from detention every month.

I heard Jonouchi sigh as I lifted my gaze back to him, and he met it with a frown, obviously debating something before speaking up, motioning to me with his head, "What's your name?"

"Honda. Honda Megumi," I replied as he sat along the cement part of the fence, beckoning me forward and making me look up to my brother who nodded. Better be safe than sorry.

I made my way to him and set my first aid kit next to him as he leaned so that I could reach for his face, which I did, pressing along his jaw to find the point that would make him flinch. When he did, I went for the ointment in the kit and carefully applied it before setting it aside and getting a bandage ready, glad that the skills that I'd been developing were useful. At least I wouldn't lag behind.

"Jonouchi Katsuya," he mumbled as I gently put down the bandage, making me blink in surprise and causing him to chuckle, "The name's Jonouchi Katsuya. I figured you'd want to know."

… Right. I wasn't supposed to know his name. I gave a smile and, once done and the kit was closed, I bowed, "Pleasure to meet you."

Only to find a hand in my hair while hearing a chuckle, "Pleasure to meet you, too." before the hand left and Jonouchi spoke loud enough for my brother to hear, "Is she always this polite?"

It took only a few seconds before I found Hiroto's hand on my shoulder, making me look up at his proud smile as I tried to avoid blushing. Damn it.

"Yep."

"No wonder you like her so much, then," Jonouchi said as he got up and stretched before picking up his bag and holding it to his shoulder as I took my bag back from my brother, putting the kit back in while the blonde talked, "Ever been to the arcade... can I call you Megumi? I already call your brother Honda..."

I couldn't help the giggle as he trailed off, smiling when I replied, "Megumi's fine, and no, I've never been to the arcade. I've been... under surveillance for the past four years."

He gave a broad grin that only reminded me of the fact that this was definitely the guy that would soon land himself head first in trouble and scramble to find a solution. Jonouchi Katsuya was the same guy, through and through.

"Alright then! Time to give you a bit of education a la Katsuya. Prepare to be schooled."


	4. Knowing vs Seeing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Been trying to figure out what to do with a big situation as of late, and while I hope it doesn't affect my upload schedule, I don't think I'll be that lucky. So I will be working as hard as I can to keep up, but I am starting a plethora of new things, debating a number of issues with myself and wondering what will work best for me in the long run. Please, give me a bit of time to figure it out.
> 
> As for this chapter, this kicks off the beginning of the manga and starts the mess we all know. Expect a few twists and turns considering that there is a new character, but not much else so far. Again, please give this a bit of time. Planes always need a bit of time to speed up and take off.

… In my defense, he never asked about my knowledge in games. Therefore, I never had to lie and tell him that I sucked before completely taking him by surprise, which one, helped me regain a bit of confidence and, two, had me laughing once I'd finally gotten the hang of the game we were playing and punched his character into next week, glad that I'd lost nothing of my dexterity since I knew how useful my gaming skills were going to become later on.

And the fact that this was the first time I felt secure in almost four years was something that I wasn't about to let go, for sure.

Thankfully, Jonouchi hadn't gotten mad over it. Sure, he'd looked at me suspiciously and had asked my brother if I didn't remind of someone — I was guessing Yuugi because the guy was as much of a game nerd as it got, and living upstairs to a game shop just added more to that — but he hadn't been rude, instead using my "hidden talent" to score big on a cooperation game with my brother, which we did, much to his delight. After that, we'd gone for ice cream.

That was where I discovered that I had a hidden talent called "cuteness".

I'm not sure what it was. The fact that I had a high ponytail, was shorter than the two guys or the smile and the bounce I hadn't been able to get rid of since the arcade, but when I ordered my ice cream and went looking for what was left of my allowance, I found myself staring at a cone that had a second scoop and when I tried to get the extra money for it, I was told that it was on the house.

So I left the stand, completely bewildered and staring at my ice cream cone until my brother said that it was melting, forcing me to dive in. Don't get me wrong, I did like the fact that I'd gotten an extra scoop, but I just couldn't get why. I hadn't done anything special.

"It's because you're cute, Megumi," Jonouchi had said while gently elbowing me while enjoying his own ice cream. "Enjoy it while it lasts."

I wish I could say I did. Not to be vain, but after working so hard to earn everything I had, getting a free treat every once in a while felt like a blessing. But I didn't. I didn't have the time to.

Because all we had was a few months, counting summer vacation. It should have felt like a lot more, but all we had was the time for routine to sink in and me finally calling it quits on my History and Literature classes because I sucked at remembering things by heart before the storm hit.

I was waiting at the gate, as per usual, and my brother came up looking like someone had decided he'd make a good punching bag. Bloody nose, bloody gums and parts of his face were quickly darkening, making me rush to him while searching for Jonouchi, hoping that he wasn't in the same state. But no matter how hard I looked around, or how long I took to nurse my brother back to health, Jonouchi did not appear.

I felt the lump in my throat sink right down to my stomach. I felt myself tremble as I asked what had happened, glad that my brother answered, but feeling my blood run cold the moment he did.

Ushio Tetsu. The chief of the disciplinary committee had beaten both Jonouchi and my brother up. And he'd beaten my brother up so bad, he'd only come to when Jonouchi had shaken him awake before the blonde had told him not to wait for him. To just go home because he had an errand to run.

The pool, Jonouchi was headed for the pool. He was going to retrieve the piece of the Puzzle he'd thrown in and bring it back to its rightful owner.

The Shadow Games were about to be unleashed.

… I wasn't ready. I knew it was coming, had been for a long time, but I still didn't feel ready for it. The newly released Pharaoh had no morals, no rules to bend to. He was simply a spirit out for revenge, and he would do anything to achieve it.

Best proof? Seeing Ushio Tetsu, the man whom it seemed nothing could bring down, no one could fight against, sitting in a pile of leaves and trash, thinking it was money. Seeing the entire student body, and some teachers, avoid him like the plague, unsure what to do about the fact that he'd, apparently, gone mad overnight and, eventually, coming to the conclusion that nothing could be done, and that sending home was a good a solution as any.

It had looked funny in the books. It had felt like justice to read that story to its end and see that Ushio had gotten punished for his greed. Now? It was just terrifying. Terrifying to know that someone, somewhere, had the strength, the power to destroy one's mind. That all it took was someone doing something wrong, and they would get a sentence worse than death.

The fact that Yuugi was unknowingly wielding that much power was worse than a wake-up call.

It was the first time I walked with Hiroto to his class, and the first time I spotted the eccentric haircut as Yuugi talked animatedly with Anzu and Jonouchi about the scene at the entrance. He didn't see me, thankfully, but I got a glimpse of the upside down pyramid around his neck, the eye of Horus seemingly glaring at me even when it wasn't facing my direction.

It had started. The world was about to face one of its darkest hours, and it started with a Pharaoh who simply thought he was there to make the greedy pay.

… So this was what it felt like to actually see death at your front door. To see every shred of your reality collapse and know, just know that, by the end of it, you would never come out of it the same, if you came out at all.

But, if I wanted to help my brother, I had to step in. I had to figure out the timeline with the little I could remember — I could only pray that memory triggers would be enough to nudge me in the right direction — and that I could build enough courage to meet a man that only wanted revenge and if he could please, please keep my brother out of it. Thing that, I was realizing, was impossible because of the way that everyone I knew was getting dragged in.

And nothing made that clearer than when our dad turned on the television for the evening news and hearing about the new Burger World going up in flames with a prisoner at the center of the fire.

That was Mazaki Anzu's first involvement. The one that would have her sway and develop an unhealthy crush for the Pharaoh which would have her follow Yuugi and make their bond so solid, even the fear of the world coming down on them would not be enough to sway her again. And my brother... my brother's involvement, if I remembered correctly, was thanks to a puzzle-letter confession that Yuugi, Jonouchi and my brother almost got expelled for. Create the bonds, cement them, then the world went to shit. And no word I would say would be enough to have my brother back off.

So I had to get involved. One way or another, I had to do something to make sure that I was part of what was coming. Not the soundest plan, but I had no other choice.

And figures that, the moment I'd think that I'd see an opportunity.

It was the morning after the fire, right after, that the rumors of a psychic started to spread throughout the school. Apparently, some guy named Kokurano Kenshin from 1-A could predict the future, and predict it accurately, at that.

It was the first time in weeks I actually felt my fear of dealing with an angry spirit disappear and a slight twitch of anger replace it.

There were a few things I prided myself in when it came to my past, and one of them was being a witch. No, I did not make potions or spells or even carried a wand, but I tried as best as I could to always, always keep a channel open between me and the other side and loved natural remedies. Along with that, sometimes, I dabbled into predicting the future. I had had a set of tarot cards that I held close to myself, and whenever someone asked me or told me that sure, I could give it a shot, I would.

But I always took predictions with a grain of salt. I was not the one to come up with the answers and I made that clear. It was interpretation and anything I said could be wrong. I was fallible. I was human. I could make mistakes. The cards were right, I could be wrong. It was up to the person to believe or not. I was not there to influence their thinking.

So to hear that someone was abusing that power, making use of it in a fashion that was only advantageous to him... It was not the best way to get on my good side.

I skipped lunch. Skipped it and went straight for the classroom the fraud — there was no other word I would use for a guy who wanted to believe himself all-mighty through the powers of magic when real magic was no joke deal with — was using to make his faulty predictions. Just in time to hear Yuugi say that most psychics are fakes before hesitantly proceeding to debunk most of Kokurano's tricks. Just in time to hear the countless letter prediction and blinking at it, realizing that yes, there would be yet another game — that was what the Pharaoh called them, anyway — and that I, in some way had just been given my chance my mind raced to follow the path that the future would take.

Yuugi would find a book in a student's desk and go put it back in the library. And then...

I remembered that close call. How it would have taken only seconds for the story to meet an unlucky end. I could not let that happen.

I didn't rush to go to the gate that evening, even when I knew that my brother would be waiting for me. Instead, I packed my bag as slowly as could, making sure that I was left behind by both my classmates and my teacher. I knew that it wasn't wise, that I was overstepping a boundary and that I shouldn't, but Yuugi — Yuugi was still one of my brother's future friends. The game nerd was someone that I cared for, even if he hadn't come into my life just yet, if he ever did. And he hadn't asked to be thrown into a mess that involved magic and monsters and spirits that had been locked away for too long. He did not deserve to be taken out for telling the truth either.

So, if I could help him, I would.

I took a detour by the school library to see Yuugi approaching it, purposefully bumped into him so that he'd lose the grip on the book he was returning and bent down to get it just as he did. I had one second, just that lapse of time to talk, brushing off the apologies with a, "Countless letters can be found in the thing you hold." before walking off. I couldn't do more. Not yet. And even if all Yuugi could give me was a "Huh?", I could only hope that the Pharaoh was listening in as he always had seemed to in the beginning.


	5. Heading Towards Doom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, thank you for all the kudos! They really help motivate me and they're really nice.
> 
> Second, I'm so sorry for the possible delays. I had a week away from the internet and, well, I'm trying to get everything ready for the future – I'm currently on Battle City if it interests any of you – so it's been the thing that's been primarily on my mind. I'm actually currently looking into deck building and, possibly, "creating" cards so that I can actually use the deck and figure out what to do and where to go from there. Needless to say, It's been really demanding but, hopefully, I get great results out of it. Wish me luck!
> 
> Third and final, I'm also slowly getting ready to get a job. It's been a while but, this time, I have all the tools available to me so things will go much more easily.

He had. He had, and he made it clear a week later, when the festival came along. I had heard about the fact that class 2-B, the class that my brother, the gang was in, had lost their spot to a group that couldn't take no for an answer. They'd vandalized the entirety of the Carnival Games the class had been working so hard on and left a griddle in their wake. I knew that Anzu and Yuugi were somewhere in the infirmary and that Anzu was upset over the situation. She was their class representative and Yuugi's childhood friend. The fact that she hadn't been able to protect their spot and Yuugi's idea would have devastated her.

But how does that lead to me knowing that the Pharaoh had heard me loud and clear before the countless words incident? As not many know — and I will be the first in line to say that this was something that had escaped me — Yuugi didn't wake up until the end of the school day, and my last class just so happens to be on the way to the schoolyard from the infirmary.

Yeah. A lot of people would call it lucky, I would compare it to a meeting with the devil.

There was no difference. If in the books or the animated series, the author had been nice enough to reshape the eyes and lift a few blonde streaks to make it clear that Yuugi was no longer in control, it was nowhere near the case in reality. The only thing that actually gave away the fact that it was the spirit was posture. The determination, the pride and the intensity of his gaze were the only elements that changed, making it incredibly hard to know if it was Yuugi or the spirit.

But when those eyes met mine, I knew that it couldn't be anyone else. When he stopped to look at me, the pressure I felt fall on me made it clear that it was him and no one else. He might only exist when you know he's there, but damn, you can't miss him when you do.

I swallowed, trying not to tremble. Knowing that magic existed, that spirits existed, was one thing. Seeing it in front of you was a complete other. But if I wanted a part, if I wanted to make sure that Hiroto was safe, I had to face it with dignity. Honor could wait for now.

"Yes?" I tried after seconds of silence. He wasn't saying anything. Hell, he didn't even answer my prompt, making me shift. Was he angry? Had he realized that I knew he existed? I knew that it was a stretch, but hell if I knew how things worked now that magic was part of the equation.

I took a step back, and he smirked. Smirked and gave me a salute before resuming his walk, leaving me to press myself against a wall as my heart pounded in my chest. God damn it all, I was not ready for this. I needed to steel myself, realize that there was no escaping this. If I wanted to be a part of this, if I wanted to give my brother back for every hour, every day he'd given me, I had to accept the fact that I was going to enter a realm where logic would be turned on its head and people would want to kill me, us, constantly.

There was no backing down. Fear would be something I'd just have to deal with as we faced danger after danger after danger. It was buck up or go home. I just had to find solid ground and grip onto it when the rest of the world shook.

I rushed to the entrance where Hiroto was waiting for me and gave him my best smile before we went home and I took a decision that I knew was necessary. I had no control over the situation, I could never have complete control over it, but I could definitely give myself an advantage and prepare in advance. I had the knowledge, I just had to turn it into wisdom.

That was why after the festival, about a month later as the winter months started to settle in and I tried to avoid freezing by wrapping my coat just that much tighter while waiting for my brother, I was ready. Well, as ready as I was going to be when I saw Jonouchi and Yuugi with my brother, the pieces quickly falling into place as my brother looked both mortified and offended at whatever Jonouchi was saying.

Nosaka Miho or, as everyone called her, Ribbon, had caught my brother's attention about two weeks back, and he was all sorts of squeaky because of it. And, despite my slow gain in confidence, I couldn't help but tease him about it, certainly about the fact that our hairstyles were somewhat similar, which would have him hide his blushing face behind his hands every time I pointed it out. My brother would never know this, but those little moments helped me set aside the fact that our world was about to be turned upside down and reminded me that, despite that, if I continued the way I was going, I was going to lose my place as my brother's sister. Before the mess, before the worldwide catastrophe, I was my brother's sister, and four years at his side meant something.

Stop worrying, focus on the actual. Then, when the world goes pear-shaped, worry about it.

And, right now, I had to contend with my brother trying to choke Yuugi.

"Big brother!" I shouted only to watch my brother let go of the smaller boy to look at me, making Yuugi hit his bum on the cold asphalt and Jonouchi wince in sympathetic pain as he did. Ouch. Seriously. I couldn't get distracted with these people. I gave my brother a look that had him almost shrink and help Yuugi up before he spoke up.

"Sorry, I — I just don't want you to talk."

And Yuugi, who practically had his heart of his sleeve, just replied, "It's fine, I just... don't understand how I can help."

Leading me to find the perfect moment to pipe up, "Help with what?"

Only to discover that there were moments where it was not only good to play ignorant, but oh so satisfying as my brother stiffened, Yuugi blinked and Jonouchi exploded into laughter, earning himself a punch that he, thankfully, saw coming, and caught my brother's fist as the latter turned tomato red in embarrassment.

It took everything out of me not to laugh and blink instead, this time asking, "Is this about Ribbon?" to watch my brother turn around, still doing a perfect imitation of a tomato, and shout.

"No!"

That was about how long I could hold it before going into a giggle fit, joining Jonouchi who was now folded in half at my brother's outrage, yelling that it wasn't funny as both the blonde and I straightened, his hand landing on my shoulder as he took a breath to stop laughing and say, "And this is why I like having you around."

"Fuck you, Jonouchi. Just fuck you," I heard as I finally got my giggles under control, sometimes still cracking up as my brother went back to somewhat normal and Yuugi, who was still there, kept blinking in both confusion and obvious distress.

Poor guy. Seriously. This was probably not the way he thought he'd pass his Wednesday evening. If I were him, I would have run.

"Hey, Yuugi, c'mere. Meet Honda Megumi, Honda's sister."

But, unfortunately for him, and me to a certain extent, Jonouchi and my brother were known for their crazy antics and their ability to just piss each other off because it was fun. I honestly had no idea why, but it seemed to be a thing among guys, certainly those that were friends for a very, very long time as I watched my brother throw his hands up in exasperation before starting to mumble about blondes being jackasses while Jonouchi continued without missing a beat, "And Megumi, this is Mutou Yuugi, my new best friend."

The comment wasn't missed by my big brother who didn't waste a second to call out Jonouchi on the fact that Yuugi was, apparently, the blonde's new best friend, forcing the latter to move before things got violent.

Sometimes, it was tough to remind myself that they were friends.

"Is it always like this?" I heard Yuugi say, trying not to point at the point idiots — I'm sorry, but when they start behaving like that, that's what they are — but unable to help it as I sighed and nodded.

"It's worse when Jonouchi calls himself the best at a shooting game and big brother quickly outclasses him in one round," I still replied, though as I watched both my brother and his best friend sort out their "problems" by sending jabs at each other, knowing that they were going to come down of it, just not knowing when. Seeing the situation and the fact that my brother probably still felt a little humiliated by my "accidental" ignorant comments, it would take a while.

Well, best moment as any to finish introductions. I bowed, "By the way, it's a pleasure to meet you, Mutou. I hope you and I get along."

And he straightened before doing the same, "Ah, no! The pleasure is mine, Honda. And please, call me Yuugi. I honestly don't mind," and hesitating for a second before asking, "And it would also help me, I mean..."

He gave a gesture to my brother, and I just smiled. Of course. I nodded, "Yuugi it is, then. Wouldn't want you confused, right?"

But I didn't have the time to see his reaction as the guys joined us again, my big brother looking a lot calmer, but still on edge, and Jonouchi, the smug bastard, looking like he had had too many chocolate bars. And considering that he practically lived on them, that was saying something.

"So, introductions went well?" he asked, getting a nod from Yuugi and me that almost gave him a splitting grin before he motioned to my brother, "Great, now let's help love puppy over here."

It got him a weak punch on the shoulder — only reason I call it weak was because it didn't send Jonouchi face-first into the asphalt — but my brother looked a lot more resigned as Yuugi piped up, "Well, sure, but I don't know how I can."

Which got Jonouchi to tilt his head in question, "Doesn't your gramps own a shop?"

"Well, yeah, a game shop, but I don't think -"

"Still worth a try," before he interrupted Yuugi in his launch with a grin. "Onward!"

I facepalmed and sighed. Yuugi blinked. And my brother simply rolled his eyes before following his best friend.

  



	6. The Reality of Being Dead

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ... I feel that, in this note, I should hope and pray for those being hit by hurricane Florence. I hope that those from the East Coast and are reading this that you're all alright and that you're all safe. I hope that everyone's loved ones are safe and that none of you end up hurt or worse in the following days. You're all good people, I'm sure, and hell knows no one deserves this kind of stuff.
> 
> Thank you all for reading, and please, stay safe.

I wish I could say that Jonouchi quieted down as we got to the shop and found the blank puzzle of which my brother loved the idea of — if you asked him, he only thought it could work. I wish I could say that the blonde calmed down when I volunteered myself to write the message, and he saw it as a brilliant idea.

No such luck. He was still extremely enthusiastic and proud of himself when we left the store with the puzzle, and my brother was a still a blubbering mess when I asked him about the things he liked about Ribbon so that I could figure out what to write. It took me about an hour to get anything useful out of my brother, and, in the morning, Jonouchi simply took the puzzle from me, saying that my brother was too much of a wuss to put it in Ribbon's desk.

But it only took an hour for the situation to change.

I was sitting at my desk, simply working on, thankfully, what I considered easy math problems when I felt it. An oppressive aura dropped down over me like a sledgehammer, making me lose my concentration as the pencil I held in my hand slipped onto the floor and fear, the fear that I still had no control on, took over. I felt myself choke, unable to breathe, and was forced to excuse myself from class to head for the restroom where I first splashed cold water over my face before sliding along the floor, trying to regain control of myself while figuring out what was going on.

And it took a few breaths, but I was finally able to see beyond the fear to sound the aura that had wrapped itself around me, trying to understand its purpose.

I was no expert at this. To be honest, it was the first time I was feeling something that felt like magic or otherworldly so clearly and I didn't know what to make of it. But it, thankfully, only took a few seconds for me to figure out what it was and, after another few minutes, it lifted without leaving a trace, giving me the chance to take a breath as I looked at the ceiling.

It had yielded under the few, inexperienced pokes I gave it. It was all-encompassing, but it meant me no harm. The heaviness was to deter those outside. A protection. And I knew of only one who wielded that kind of strength. The Pharaoh. But why –

… Of course. The incident with Mrs. Chono or the expel witch as everyone called her. Ribbon had almost gotten in trouble because of the puzzle and it was only thanks to the Pharaoh that everyone had pulled out unscathed. That left one thing, though. Why reach for me? Why go that far when I'm not even in the same class? The same grade?

My only conclusion there was that there had either been a fluke or the Pharaoh didn't exactly have full control over his own powers and had protected all those involved with the blank puzzle idea. Indiscriminate protection. And since I was the only one sensitive to it — when both your past mother and sister see dead people in their sleep and it's their job to pass them over to the other side, you're definitely not immune to supernatural things — I was the only one to react to it.

That meant that I was going to have to get used to supernatural powers floating around without, at first, anyone knowing about it unless I had an explicit desire to get interned or get drugged on pills they would never get me off of. Awesome.

First thing I'm doing when I see the Pharaoh next is punch the daylights out of him.

… Pffft, yeah right.

Considering that I, one, can't punch for shit, two, know that the Pharaoh is a good guy — the protection field was only the start, I knew — and three, for the little interaction I'd had with him, I liked Yuugi. So unless I found a way to separate them, I was going to have to deal with the Pharaoh's supernatural powers and get used to them so that I wouldn't freak out near as much when the time came to deal with them on an almost daily basis.

Resign myself to my fate it is. I wasn't getting paid enough for this.

Correction, I wasn't getting paid at all. In fact, I'm pretty sure whoever had dropped me in Megumi's body was laughing their asses off, right now, thinking that I was an idiot. Hell, I'd thrown myself into this head first — well, practically head first. The initial fear had almost been enough to make me nope out the door — because I wanted to repay the one I now called my brother in any way possible. So it wasn't their fault at all. I was doing this all by myself like the dumbass I am.

And my past husband called me smart. S-M-R-T more like.

At least everyone was safe and, as nice as it was, I was asked to join them for lunch during which my poor brother got blown off by a rejection on Ribbon's part. At least I got to meet the only other girl of the group, Mazaki Anzu, who welcomed me as a fellow girl friend, who winced just like I did at my brother's rejection before laughing as I tried to cheer my brother up by telling him that he still had me before hounding him the entirety of lunch while he shouted, "Haha, no. You're my sister. Get off, get off!" and laughed along with everyone else.

… I think it's safe to say that I was accepted among them despite being a year younger, certainly when Mazaki — Anzu, Anzu. She insisted on it since we were the only girls — told me that she wanted to go shopping with me at some point. It was an offer I took graciously, knowing that we wouldn't have much more time to have fun and just be kids.

Still, it took a while. The sneaker incident — Jonouchi was so proud to show the hole in the sole of his shoe — passed without the female part of the group getting involved. Duel Monsters started — I was quick to start saving my allowance to buy a few packs only to watch my brother get upset at the fact that I was picking up a trend and have an argument with him over games. But nothing concrete happened until winter decided to show its nose and chill us to the bone, making me curse the uniform, something that Anzu was agreeing with vehemently while we tried to unfreeze our legs.

Yeah, sad. Hilarious, but sad. Whoever had thought that mid-thigh skirts were a good plan when Japan tended to reach subzero temperatures during winter needed to be shot. I volunteer to hold the gun.

However, that wasn't the thing that killed the good humor of the group. That wasn't the thing that reminded me that, no matter how much we were having fun, I was having fun, the group was a disaster area. It was something much more violent.

We'd just gotten into a routine. We'd found a way to make it work despite the fact that I was in another grade entirely. And I'd gotten into the habit of waiting for them after school, at the gate during the fall and in the locker area during the winter, so that we could decide if we wanted to do anything before going home and doing homework. It was fun, it was happy.

Until that Monday.

I wasn't sure when it started. When the happiness went down the drain and doubt started to settle in. It was probably at lunch when I saw them for the first time of the day and my brother looked almost empty. It was probably when Yuugi and Anzu settled in their seats, looking worried and upset. All I know is, by the time I looked up and searched for the familiar mop of blonde hair that never showed, doubt was already making its nest inside my stomach, killing my appetite as I asked, "Where's Jonouchi?"

Before I watched my brother actually spear an item in his bento, and bring it to his mouth to harshly chew it as he looked away and answered, "He didn't show."

I didn't add anything. Just looked at the empty seat between Yuugi and my brother as one name popped into mind.

Hirutani.


	7. Chaos

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, to all those reading, thank you. I hope you guys are enjoying this story as much as I am. Second... I might go quiet for a while. Not in chapter publication, but in the notes here. Reason being that there's a lot of catching up to do and I want to be able to concentrate on future chapters as they have become incredibly demanding "research" wise. I doubt any of you will believe me, but I'm currently having mock-duels with my husband in order to come up with good duels that mean something instead of simply hold up for plot's sake.
> 
> And before you guys ask, yes, I'm that crazy. I want this story to be believable and not completely plot driven. So the whole concept of there being multiple roads to reach the same destination is being used to its fullest here. Wish me luck!

Hirutani was, for all intents and purposes, a subject that had never been breached. It was something that was a part of Jonouchi's past that only my brother knew of, and even at the time when it had been the strongest, the times when my brother had come back with the most wounds, it was something that I had learned not to touch. Any questions about it, any possible insinuation had been met with violent rebuke and, at one point, and one point only, a hit from my own brother. It had thrown my brother into the throes of guilt and made me back off from the subject while biting back tears.

So all I knew about the man, the person that was Hirutani came from what I had read in my past life, and even though it probably didn't compare to what my brother and Jonouchi had known, seen, to me it was enough. It was more than enough to know that he was an asshole who only cared about himself, that he'd gotten Jonouchi back through blackmail and that it was our job to get him back.

Yes, our. Because when my brother started saying that I should go home and, soon enough, bundling everyone in the same basket once we all met again at the end of school, Anzu, Yuugi and I were quick to argue. Jonouchi was a friend, a good friend, and neither of us, myself included, wanted to risk him being out there longer than needed. Didn't matter if my brother was the only one who knew how to fight out of the three of us. Didn't matter if we were defenseless if someone caught up with us. Jonouchi belonged with us, not with them.

As for my brother going out there alone... I preferred to not even imagine the disaster it would be.

That was how we found ourselves giving a quick visit to Jonouchi's place. Visit that ended almost as soon as it began when a beer bottle was thrown to the door while Jonouchi's father shouted that the latter hadn't been there in two days, forcing us to quickly close said door with our hearts racing while we slumped into the corridor.

"I forgot about that," my brother tried to joke as a halfhearted smile formed, getting a glare from Anzu.

"Oh, sure. Forget the drunkard, why don't you?"

"At least we got some information. Jonouchi's been missing for two days," before Yuugi said something to, hopefully, placate Anzu's anger and get the gears running. Two days was a long time to go missing, all things considered, but I couldn't blame Jonouchi for not wanting to go home.

I looked at my brother, "Think he would have left Domino?"

And watched him shake his head, "He's got nowhere to go as far as I know. Save for here, he's got no place to call home."

I felt my breath catch for a moment. If that was really the case, I was going to ask Jonouchi to come by more often. I wasn't letting him rot in a home that didn't even feel like one. He'd probably find me clingy, but I didn't care. Not when it led to stuff like this.

But without Jonouchi free from Hirutani, I couldn't do anything. Without knowing where he went, Jonouchi was as good as gone.

I bit my lip. God, this felt terrible to do, but — but as Hiroto's sister, I could bring this up.

"Big brother..."

"What is it, Megumi?"

"Do you think... what if..." I tried, watching my brother's eyes going wide.

"No. No! He can't! He..." But, just from the tone, I knew he'd come to the same conclusion as I did while his voice went quiet, "He promised..."

He got up and, as if possessed, took off, forcing the rest of us out of our slump in the corridor to follow as I swallowed. I hated having to do that. I hated having to remind my brother of something that he'd rather forget, but it was not just the place that Jonouchi was at, it was also the only thing that made sense. From the feel of it, from the first meeting, I could tell that Jonouchi and my brother had agreements, promises that were never to be broken, and it was both towards each other and themselves. For one of them to break, it would take a threat. A threat to a life that meant something to either one.

And, knowing my brother, he was smart enough to know that.

But when I saw the J'z sign, I also realized that my brother wasn't just Jonouchi's friend, he'd been his confidant. The chances of Jonouchi asking for my brother's help to go free from Hirutani was in no way a stretch, but to know and see it... It was two very different things.

I could only hope that it wouldn't affect anything, although that possibility was getting slimmer and slimmer when he asked us to wait outside before disappeared into the cafe and Anzu and Yuugi turned to me.

"What's going on?"

I could only tremble when Anzu pipped up, her frown speaking miles about her worry when Yuugi asked if I was alright. I nodded at his question, and answered after a swallow, "During middle school, my big brother would rarely come home on time after school since he kept getting detention after detention. And, when he did, he'd be covered with bruises, sometimes even with a busted nose. I... asked him why he was getting so beaten up, and he — he never answered. He'd just change the subject or even get violent about it. It's only when I asked for him to stop getting detention that often that it slowly came to a stop, but the friend he used to mention stayed. I'm guessing that was Jonouchi."

Lame. Lame, lame, lame. Now was not the time for exposition, now was not the time for goddamn secrets.

"… You're serious?"

But it helped, it helped soothe my mind as I nodded to Yuugi's question yet again, and he took a look at the cafe again along with Anzu.

"We should go in," Anzu suggested, making me shake my head.

"We'd get killed. You didn't see the bruised big brother used to get, and he's a fighter."

"Megumi's right, we should -"

"Yuugi?"

All of our heads snapped towards the voice. The familiar voice that belonged to the only person, I knew, should have either been in J'z or out.

… That was right. He was out of the cafe. He'd been traveling the streets until now. That meant that my brother...

No. No, this wasn't happening. It couldn't be happening. I couldn't have just — I shouted, "Jonouchi! Big brother went in there looking for you!"

And the three of us watched the blonde blanch and stop before quickly grabbing the closest grunt. There was three of them. How he came out victorious still puzzles me to this day. For now, though, I wasn't going to question it as I rushed to him, and he ordered, "Stay here. I'll go inside. If I'm not out in five minutes, go home. All of you. Got that?"

I didn't look behind me, but the fact that he went in after I nodded told me enough. The other two had agreed. And that was good. I don't think I would have been able to handle an argument right now.

He came out in less than two, and thunder rolled into the air as Jonouchi's seemed to tremble in rage.

"Jonouchi?" I asked.

"It's empty."

And felt my heart sink. No. No, no, no! Not... This was not... Not my brother...

"They couldn't have gotten far. Hirutani said something about getting a torture chamber after I left, make sure that the loyalties weren't broken. You guys go home. I'll -"

"We can't send Megumi home by herself, Jonouchi! What will her parents think?!"

This was all my fault...

"Alright. Spread out. We'll cover more ground that way. You guys find anything, you find me. Hirutani's a full-on bastard, and we don't need anyone playing hero, got that?"

I didn't need to hear it twice. None of us did. We took off as fast as we could and never looked back. Any other way would have cost us precious minutes, precious seconds, and my brother was in danger. He was being electrocuted to the near point of death and none of us could afford to lose time.

God, I just...

I stopped. Halted in my run to find the warehouse as the oppressive feeling dropped onto my shoulders. The Pharaoh. The Pharaoh was out. He'd found my brother and had put the shield down. I just — I just had to...

I swallowed and wiped the tears before closing my eyes, trying, once again, to poke at the shield, this time with purpose. Magic, to a certain extent, stayed connected to its owner. Whether it be by a tendril or a cord, it was connected to its owner. I just had to trace it back to find the Pharaoh. To find my brother. And I couldn't just let the opportunity slip...

A poke found a cord and I grabbed. Grabbed and turned around, following the thread as I first walked, then broke into a run once I was sure. I just had to follow. I just had to trust my instincts. I could find the Pharaoh and my brother along with it.

I did.

Just in time to watch the end of the game and the men scream as they were electrocuted thanks to the "time bomb" the Pharaoh had cleverly constructed before turned to me with the same look he'd had when he'd gone to recover the spot that had been taken from Yuugi's class. Gaze I'd cowered at then, and could only meet with gratefulness this time.

I'd mucked up. I'd put my brother in danger. And the spirit had gone out of his way to save him.

I never got to say thank you. His gaze left mine as he straightened and went to the man tied up in the chair, making me rush forward and check for a pulse. I found myself crying in happiness just a few seconds later when I felt it and went to turn around to thank the spirit.

He was gone.

Yuugi was the one rushing forward, screaming my big brother's last name. Yuugi was the one who woke up my brother with said scream, leaving him to groan as his eyes blearily opened. And Yuugi was the one to reach behind the chair to untie him as I kept my brother steady and the latter looked around, finding the scene and gaze refusing to leave it.

"… We need to get out of here before they wake up."

I could only agree. We needed to leave, and the further we got, the better. I helped my brother up and found Yuugi rushing to round the chair to help me hold Hiroto, his own gaze going to the people lying unconscious in the puddle.

There was an uncomfortable and knowing look on Yuugi's face that I couldn't shake off.

"Did Jonouchi -"

"Hiroto!"

And even when it faded when Jonouchi and Anzu found us, I couldn't help but look to Yuugi as my brother was taken from our shoulders as Jonouchi berated him on being an idiot. I couldn't help but stare at the one who'd unwittingly saved my brother and somehow knew that he had, of that I was sure. I couldn't figure out how or why, but he knew.

That was why, when my big brother was secure on Jonouchi's shoulders and everyone started walking, I let myself fall behind. This was their moment, their happiness, and I wasn't going to encroach on that. I would hug my brother, check his wounds and take care of them when we got home. For now, Jonouchi could have him.

And I had to talk to Yuugi. He'd just saved my brother, rectified a mistake that I had made, he was owed that much.

I swallowed, "Yuugi?" and smiled when he met my gaze with a blink, taking it as my cue to continue, "Thank you. For saving my brother."

But, with the way his lips pursed, I knew that this was going to be harder than it looked.

"Yuugi saved Honda's life?"

Still, I nodded to Anzu, knowing that I couldn't take back my words. What was done was done. I couldn't take any of what I'd said back, couldn't change the fact that my brother was having trouble walking because of something I'd said. The only thing I could concentrate on was the future, and I had Death T to worry about, Duelist Kingdom getting ready to rear its ugly head. To worry about the past was stupid.

So I turned my gaze back to Yuugi and did the one thing that, I could only hope, would lead us to be on even ground. The events that were coming, Yuugi needed as ready as he could and I had a tool that could help him.

"Yuugi," I called, and waited until he was looking at me. "A life for a life. Should you ever have a problem that concerns something you think isn't right, you can talk to me." Before I stopped, prompting the two to stop beside me, and reached into my bag to pull out another, smaller bag from which I drew a card from.

Hanged man. Appropriate. I held it out to him.

"I can't tell you that I'll free you, but I can help you untangle yourself."

And he took it without a word, looking at it before meeting my gaze, to which I just smiled before walking off, trying to get my brother and his friend to wait for us.

He'd figure it out. He just needed time. Then, I'd help him.


	8. Damage Control

It still did not reassure me. It still set me off kilter and, as happy as I tried to be when Jonouchi got invited for dinner before being allowed to sleep over — he tried to protest, but when mom gave him a smile, he decided to not kick up a fuss and stay — I was not only bothered, but felt guilt wrap itself around my being.

It was Jonouchi, not my brother, that was supposed to end up in that chair. It was Jonouchi, not my brother that should be in my brother's room, looking like he had just brushed death. And yet — yet... it was my brother. It was my brother that looked like he'd been through hell, could barely walk by himself. All because I had hinted at the fact that Jonouchi's past might have come after him.

We'd been lucky that I'd been right. We'd been extremely lucky that Jonouchi had shown up when he had. Because anything else — anything else and I wouldn't have recuperated my brother alive. He would have been dead and it would have been my fault.

Needless to say that sleep did not find me and that I was out of bed and to my window before I could even acknowledge that I was. That the tears of worry, of fear formed and fell before I could even notice them. And that, when the door opened, I couldn't have been more relieved to finally get dragged out of my own mind. It got dark in there, and, tonight, it was not the place I wanted to be in.

So even if I panicked when I realized that my brother was the one standing in the doorway and I helped him to my bed, I still was relieved that he'd come.

"Can't sleep?"

And happy that he wanted to talk.

There was a lot I couldn't share with him. A lot that I had to keep to myself. But, this time...

"I'm sorry."

This time I couldn't hide, not when it almost cost him his life. So if I could warn him, if only a bit, I would do it. If I could give him a head start so that he knew that he could trust me with the fact that I was trying to protect him, I would do it.

"Sorry? For what?"

"If I hadn't said anything -"

Even if he interrupted me by taking me into his arms and hefting me onto his lap which I soon slipped off of because I didn't want him to get hurt more than he already was. Even if he put his head atop mine like he'd done so many times before and said, "If you hadn't said anything, somebody else would have gotten hurt, Megumi. Someone who probably wouldn't have been able to hold on for as long as I did." which only brought tears to my eyes since it meant that he was happy that nobody else but him got hurt.

Because that — that was exactly why I wanted to tell him everything. That was exactly why I was tempted, sorely tempted to tell him that I wasn't his real sister and let the seed of doubt grow in his mind so that he would only rely on me if it was truly necessary. That way, he wouldn't get hurt. That way, he wouldn't find himself in more danger than he should.

But I couldn't. I couldn't bring myself to. Didn't matter if it protected him or not. Didn't even matter that there was a chance that I would eventually be forgiven for it. I just couldn't.

There were many, many dreams, selfish dreams, that I had wanted in my previous life. Getting a chance to start over without fear of retribution. Getting a shot at greatness without the doubt that I wasn't good enough, strong enough to do it. And having a brother. Big or little, I didn't care. I had wanted a brother, someone that could protect me from the threats I felt in my life. Just someone who wouldn't say that I wasn't wanted.

And while the dream had faded at the back of my mind when I left the ones I was related to because there was no chance that I ever have family again, it had surged back in the past four years. As Honda Hiroto had supported me, helped me through the nightmares, and simply became the big brother that I could rely on no matter what, it had encased itself into my brain and refused to leave. Made me lie. Anything for a minute more at my big brother's side.

But I'd promised myself that I would, at least, tell him part of the truth. The part that Yuugi and, to a certain extent, Anzu were now in on. That I would at least stop worrying about the fact that he was bound to look at me weird when I told him that a part of everything that was happening around us was tied to the mystical.

I sunk into his hold, not sure where to start, but knowing that I had to.

"So, is that the only thing that's bothering you?"

But, with my throat constricting and fear running through my veins, even his invitation felt easier to shrug off than looking at him and saying, "I saw what happened."

"Saw what?"

I only hoped it was one of those moments where everything became easier the deeper you got into the subject.

"What happened. They had stun guns. One of the guys was down and Yuugi — Yuugi he..."

"Slow down, Megumi. Are you saying that Yuugi dealt with them?"

I jerked out of his arms, feeling panic flood my veins. I couldn't — I couldn't...

"Not Yuugi. It looked like Yuugi but it wasn't him. I felt — Big brother, please don't get mad at me, but — but I think something happened while I was in a coma."

He got up. And took me into his arms as I shook. I wasn't lying. Something had happened. Not only had I woken up in Megumi's body after dying, something had been woken up from inside of me and it was bringing up my sensitivity to otherworldly powers to a level that I wasn't used to. I still couldn't see the dead, but goddamn this was more than I remembered. I had had vague feelings. This was a lot more distinct.

I felt my brother's hand found the top of my head, stroking it as he tried to shush me, to calm me down before he sat back down once I somewhat had, looking at me with worry as he calmly spoke, "Start from the beginning, sis. Is it Yuugi you want to talk about, or yourself?"

"Both," I answered, glad that he nodded so that I could keep my replies simple for now.

"Alright, what do you want to start with?"

"Me?"

He nodded again, "Okay, so what's happening with you?"

"I can feel things."

God, I felt like such a child.

"Things like?"

"Things that don't really exist. Remember the morning with the confession puzzle? I know something happened. I don't know what and I'm guessing that's okay because Yuugi, Jonouchi and you were all okay when I saw you for lunch that day, but I know something did because I was at the beginning of math class doing some exercises and I felt this big, oppressive feeling drop on me. It got so bad that I had to excuse myself to the restroom. It came back tonight, and I was able to follow it. That's how I was able to find you. And Yuugi."

But I was finally able to tell the truth. I was finally able to get rid of the weight that had been on my shoulders for what felt like too long.

Now if only my brother could believe me...

"... And what's wrong with Yuugi?"

Yet, from the fact that he was pulling away, from the fact that he was sitting down, and from the look he was giving me, I knew it wasn't a done deal.

"You don't believe me, do you?"

Because that was a look, a skeptical stare that I had dealt with for years. And while my past husband had been one of the more prominent persons that didn't believe, he wasn't the only one. He wasn't the only person who'd thought me crazy or even thought me dangerous. Some of them had even held me at arm's length once they realized just how much I believed and, not only that, but apparently believed that I had a connection to the world of the beyond while others had taken it with a grain of salt, going, "I won't believe it until I see it", which I hoped was what my brother would do.

Didn't matter if he didn't believe me now. It was just a matter of time before everything went mystical on us. But if he took his distance, I wouldn't take it well.

"Look, Sis. It's not that I believe you. You've been pretty honest so far and I know you're smart. But you gotta admit this sounds -"

"Crazy?" I interrupted. "I know. There's a reason I panicked and showed myself out of the classroom the first time. Hell, I thought that I was going insane myself. But it happened again, big brother, and it led me to you. Sure, the first time could have been a coincidence, but it didn't just happen just once. It happened twice. And almost in the same circumstances for that matter. It can't be coincidence. It just can't be."

And he sighed, "Alright, let's say it isn't. What does that mean for you?"

Before I shrugged at the question, "I don't know. I'm thinking — I'm thinking about exploring it, though. I mean, I bought a set of tarot cards. I think that's a good place to start. The one I'm worried about isn't me, though. It's Yuugi."

Only to watch him shake his head, smile forming as I wondered what was going on through his mind. I was talking about mystical powers and magic, a thing that he was having trouble with, and he was smiling at it? Was something wrong?

"God, that's just like you."

I blinked. No, nothing was wrong. Nothing was wrong as he took me into his arms and kissed my forehead before bringing me in so that he could put his head on top of mine again, whispering, "Just like you to worry about someone else when you're still dealing with your own problems. What's wrong with Yuugi?"

Causing me to take a breath before answering, "He's being possessed, I think. By a spirit. It's a strong one, since it can create protective barriers, and smart, since it created what it called a time bomb by setting up a system which led to five guys getting knocked out by an electric shock. All in all, it's dangerous, big brother, and I think Yuugi's starting to notice. He needs help."

I felt him move over my head, "And you want to help him? Use the little psychic powers you have to help him out?"

And nodded at the questions, "Please. I'm not asking you to believe or anything like that, even if I'd like it if you did. All I'm asking is that you understand. Something's going on and I -"

"I get it, Megumi. Don't worry, I do. All you gotta do is promise me one thing."

"What is it?"

"Don't blame yourself for the accident or blame yourself because of something you couldn't prevent. I'll trust you with this as long as you don't try to carry the world on your shoulders. Is that clear?"

Before biting my lip at what he asked of me. He was asking for a lot, and we both knew it. He knew that I had felt bad when I'd told him that I wished "I" had never been in a coma because that was why so many things had changed. The Honda family had moved to Domino, my big brother had tried not to turn into a pity party while still blaming himself for turning away for a second, just enough for his sister to fall down a flight of stairs that would seal her fate and leave her body for me to collect four years later.

But he wasn't really giving me a choice. He wasn't even trying to give me a way out. He would trust me as long as I decided to trust him back. Possibly tell him what was going on and, even, give him a heads up if the situation got really bad like it had today.

I took a shaky breath, "I can't guarantee that I will, but I'll try."

And he hugged me even tighter laying a kiss on top of my head, "That's all I ask."

Making me realize that, if I wanted to do this right, I couldn't lie. I couldn't do this by myself as I had so many times before.

If I wanted to do this right, I needed to change.


	9. Change

For all intents and purposes, change seemed simple enough. The dictionary called it going from one state to another. We changed in and out of clothes and the sheets of our beds every day or every week. It seemed easy enough to induce change and go towards this altered state, to terminate old habits and make new ones.

But when you feel old, when you've built your habits not out of courtesy but out of survival, this change becomes a whole lot harder to initiate.

My rules were simple. Don't trust anyone, not even yourself. Don't connect with anyone because they're going to betray you no matter what. Don't let anyone see your weaknesses, or they will exploit them. Never, ever make any friends because they will leave. And last, but not least, the family that you are related to by blood will never, ever come through for you. They will use you for their own selfish needs, fear you because you carry the presence of a person they want out of their lives because they want to forget, and the moment you try to reconnect, they will kick you out because they feel threatened. Those were the rules, the laws that I'd long established before I died. Thanks to them, I had vowed never to have any children of my own, and gotten scared the moment someone came close enough to see me for who I really am, a person who wished to be an angel, yet had destroyed herself in order to achieve the perfect image.

Now my brother of four years was asking me to set part of that aside and rely on him in case anything happened.

It felt impossible. It felt like a huge weight on my shoulder that I didn't know how to get rid of. It felt like a mountain so steep, I would never be able to climb it. I knew that I had to take it slow, to accept that there were moments were I'd just fail and have to start again while knowing that I was going to get frustrated beyond reason. And with the voice at the back of my head telling me that I was right for blocking everyone the moment I fell, part of me wasn't willing to start the climb at all.

Still, I'd said that I would try. I'd said that I would give it a fair chance, if only to keep my brother's trust. I understood the double meaning of his demand too. Carrying the burden I was going to carry was difficult enough, if I started blaming myself for everything that happened along with that, I'd drive myself mad. My brother had already lost his little sister once, I couldn't let that happen again.

And yet, the saying "old habits die hard" had never rung more true. The reasons of my separation with the rest of society had never hit me harder than then.

Nevertheless, seeing Jonouchi and my brother calling each other by their first names, actually treating each other like near brothers, along with watching Anzu and Yuugi whispering to each other like confidants gave me hope. Hope that change was possible. That, somewhere along the line, maybe I was wrong. Maybe, just maybe, there was a place I could put my trust.

But, for now, I just needed to get ready. Get ready for when Yuugi wanted to talk to me, if he ever did, and have answers ready for his questions.

Which they did. It took two weeks, but after the entire group talked about an Egyptian exhibition at the Domino Museum, which sparked a conversation about the Millennium Puzzle and led to Anzu deciding that we would all meet there on Sunday before getting the boys up with a bogus excuse as she gave Yuugi a nod that I couldn't yet understand, but he did by reaching into the pocket of his jacket and putting the Hanged Man onto the table, sliding it towards me. And I met him with a meeting at a local cafe the same night, not asking any questions, and glad that, save for Jonouchi who was quickly distracted by my brother's offer to go to the arcade, none were really done by the rest of the group.

That also meant one thing that I didn't know how to take, though.

Anzu knew. Definitely knew instead of my simple guessing at it for the past two weeks. And my guess was that, by the fact that Anzu was going with them, Jonouchi would soon be in the know himself. This was going to be Shaadi's time, if I recalled correctly, and those who had been accompanying Yuugi hadn't known at the time that he carried an ancient spirit. Those events had only come to light during Death T, Kaiba's second passage. We were still rather far from those events, and yet, everyone already knew.

This was going a lot faster than I anticipated.

"I'm sorry it took me so long, but I just couldn't see how I could talk to you. Anzu told me to trust you, though, and I'm glad she did. Only thing I had to do next was convince her to let me see you without being there. Said that she wanted to know how you knew what's been happening to me when even she never saw it until I told her."

And, from Yuugi's words after we ordered our drinks, there was no going back.

I swallowed, "The reason I know is because I saw it. Twice. And felt what I can only qualify as a shield surround me, again twice. So I came to the only logical conclusion, even if the situation defies all logic. Something, and something powerful is taking control of you. And by your reaction, you know about it."

And watched him take a breath before answering, "Yeah, I know. Well, in part, at least. I've been — I've been noticing that I have some... moments where I fall unconscious and wake up in a completely different place without any memory of how I got there in the first place and something — something tends to happen during those moments. Something that usually ends up with someone getting hurt or... worse. That group, the one that were in that puddle, got lucky."

Yuugi had no idea, although I was starting to doubt that he hadn't put it all together. Whenever one of his friends, or he was involved, things went dark and crazy. Many had gone nuts at the hands of the spirit, and more hand died or even gotten hurt. Didn't help that some of those deaths were rather "spectacular" for lack of a better word.

"But that still doesn't explain how you can help me," he continued. "I mean, yeah, you saw whatever it is twice and now you're claiming that it's more powerful than I thought it was. I can't control it, Megumi. And if it's that powerful, if it turns -"

"It won't."

But there was one thing he apparently hadn't put together. He was starting to panic, wanting to stop it. And it made sense. Containing it would avoid people getting hurt, but — but I'd seen what the Pharaoh was capable of when mad. I did not want that man against me. Plus — Plus I had proof that he was good.

I watched Yuugi bring his hands to his face, looking at the table as he spoke, "That's crazy talk, Megumi. Spirits -"

But I interrupted him again, "Poltergeist don't change because they choose not to. Whatever this spirit has decided, it's not to harm."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because I met him."

I had to stop this degenerative thinking. I had to kill his panic. Give him reason to believe that the Pharaoh, the one thing that had scared me so many weeks back was worth talking to listening to. His intentions were good, he was just misguided.

… I couldn't believe that I was defending the Pharaoh in front of Yuugi of all people.

I took a breath and continued, "I saw it twice. The second was with my brother where it simply looked to my brother after it saw that it was me, and the first was during the festival as I was about to leave class and school. It could have hurt me, done anything. Instead, it just saluted and walked on. It doesn't go after just anyone, Yuugi. In fact, I'm willing to bet it goes after those that hurt you and your friends. I know the moments of unconsciousness are terrifying and the fact that almost always someone ends up hurt, but ever wondered what triggered those moments?"

Before watching Yuugi meet my gaze for a moment as he straightened, stare slowly leaving me for the floor as he seemed to be putting it together. Seemed to race from one event to the next, searching the trigger points, searching the moments that led to unconsciousness.

The moment he put his hands over his face, I knew he'd figured it out.

"He's trying to protect me. Us."

And the fact that he spoke those words before taking a breath just made it that much clearer. The fact that he looked around as our drinks came along before leveling his stare with his glass just confirmed my thoughts.

He mumbled into his hand before looking at me, "Is this what you meant by untangling me?" and only sighing when I gave a nod, continuing as he brought a hand to the Millennium Puzzle, "So I have a protector that's hurting people because it thinks my friends or me are in danger or unhappy. It — he — she — they don't care for the methods that they have to use to bring the bad guys down, which leads to someone getting hurt, and they're incredibly powerful since they can actually drive someone insane. Anything I'm missing?"

"You can influence it," I gave with a shrug, making him blink.

"How?"

"Think about it. It doesn't come out unless you're in danger or unhappy. Therefore, if it -"

"They."

I chuckled at Yuugi's interruption, but still took it, "Alright, alright, if they can feel your emotions and know when to actually take over, that means that there's a channel between you both already. Those channels aren't one way, you know. If they can use it, you can too."

It was interesting to watch Yuugi think. As creepy as it was, it was interesting to watch the gears turn in my friend's mind, trying to make sense of everything I'd given while mixing it with everything he knew. I wasn't missing the fact that we hadn't spoken of what I was, if the Puzzle had any place into what we'd just spoken about, but I was realizing something as Yuugi made his way through his thoughts.

It didn't matter. It didn't matter what I was because, one day, he'd know and know for sure. It didn't matter if it was linked to the Puzzle or not because again, one day, it would come to light. Hell, as far as he knew, I already knew the cause. Crazy, but it worked. And that was the only thing that mattered.

"If I learn to use that channel, think I can talk to them?"

I nodded, "There's a chance."

"How can I?"

"Ever heard of meditation?"


	10. Yami Yuugi

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Hope you guys have had a lovely week. I've been trying to update every day to catch up here but, I'm not going to lie, there's a lot to catch up to. I'm fifty chapters ahead and I honestly don't want to spam you guys with too much, so I'm backdating the chapters on purpose for the most part so that I don't overwhelm anyone with alerts or anything of the sort.
> 
> So yes, there is a likely chance that there are chapters you haven't read before now. Don't worry, the Chapter Index is there to get you back on track if you need it, and most of the chapters are pretty short and titled should you get lost. If there is still confusion, don't hesitate to leave a comment and I'll get the publication back to once a week.
> 
> ... And to those wondering, yes, I am finishing this story. I am seeing it through the end and doing my best not to rush it. I want this to be a good experience, both for you guys who are reading and for me as a writer. So to all those of you worried that I might abandon this, I'm not planning to.
> 
> Thank you all for your time,  
> Skye

He learned quickly, very quickly. I wasn't sure if it was obsession or determination that was guiding Yuugi's steps, but he made incredible progress in the next few days once he got the hang of it — it took me shaking him to remind him that we had to leave the cafe eventually — and it took only until the middle of the week for him to make sure that we were all there and ready to listen to say, "I met him."

You could have heard a pin drop at the end of our table as the rest of us stopped from either putting something in our mouths or mid-bite to look at him with wide, blinking eyes. Jonouchi tried to say something but was quickly shut up by Anzu who told him it was rude to talk with his mouth full, forcing my brother to ask as the former two got into a near argument over table manners.

"You met him? Him?"

To which Yuugi nodded, "Yeah, him. No name yet, but I met him."

And I couldn't help myself from asking, "Where?"

Before he carefully grabbed the cord around his neck and brought the Puzzle into his hands to gently put it at the center of the table, killing any argument Anzu and Jonouchi were having as they stared at it while I held my breath.

The Pharaoh was now among us. The spirit of the Puzzle was now part of the team, and I wasn't exactly sure how to feel about it. This was early, really early, and the Pharaoh was still somewhat lacking a moral compass, along with getting over a big streak of cabin fever after being locked in the Puzzle for three thousand years. And hell only knew how it felt to be enclosed into a space with a dizzying number of doors that led nowhere when you had no memory of who and what you were. I would have gone insane in the first week, if not the first day, to be honest.

"How was he?" I heard Anzu ask as Jonouchi swallowed what was in his mouth to speak all while ignoring the glare she was giving him.

"Who cares how he is? What does he want?"

But Yuugi just took a breath and answered, "He was alright. He was surprised at first when I found him — I was too, which cut off contact — but when I went back in and found him again, we talked. We spoke about what happened and he confirmed my thoughts. He's doing this to make sure that I'm not sad. Said I freed him, and he's in my debt. That's why he's been doing what he's been doing so far. To avoid me from being in pain. He's good. He just doesn't know any better."

The entire group, even me, looked at the Puzzle. For a moment, I felt sorry. Sorry for the Pharaoh. He really didn't know any better. He had power beyond his own comprehension, his mind was wiped, and he didn't know that justice wasn't something you gave yourself. He was no more a Pharaoh, the authority of the world. He was a man. And people, Pharaoh or not, made mistakes.

"So he's trying to make sure you stay out of trouble? By setting people on fire and driving them insane?"

I rolled my eyes, "Yuugi just said that he doesn't know any better, Jonouchi. For all we know, the Millennium Puzzle is at least a millennium old since it wouldn't have that name otherwise, meaning that he's been in there for that long. Along with that, if I heard Yuugi right, he might not even remember his own name if he ever had one in the first place, which makes it worse because he doesn't even know why he's there in the first place. I don't know for you, but I'd definitely wouldn't care about the methods if it means keeping the one that freed me happy."

And watched the blonde open and close his mouth like a fish and probably glad when my brother piped up, "Was there some kind of environment or was it just dark?"

The looks turned to Yuugi who just took a breath before answering, "It was dark at first, but it slowly came clear as the conversation continued. We didn't have long because I was tired, although we agreed to talk again tonight — he actually looked happy when I asked him if I could talk to him again — but the environment came into focus. I also asked him about it. He told me that I was inside the Millennium Puzzle."

"What did it looked like?" Anzu asked.

"Like one of those optic illusion paintings gone mad. There were doors everywhere, stairs that led to nowhere. There were even parts of the floor on the ceiling and the walls. I honestly felt confined when I landed in there. It was terrifying. He even insisted on meeting me halfway next time. Said something about not wanting me inside the Puzzle more than necessary."

And I heard my brother take a breath, "Well, no wonder he's gone mad. No name, nothing to call his own, a place that would drive the best of us crazy and at least a thousand years by himself. That would be enough to want to do anything for anyone who frees them, even kill."

… That was one way of putting it, although it was a way that we could all agree on. Even Jonouchi voiced his agreement as he put down his chopsticks, finding his appetite lacking as all eyes went to the Puzzle.

"Is it bad that I have half a mind to break it into pieces?" the blonde asked after a moment of silence, prompting the group to look at him for a second before Yuugi took the Puzzle and cradled it against him.

"We are not breaking it!" came the vehement cry. "I built the Puzzle. What type of person would I be if I just broke it after realizing that there's someone inside it? And someone who's been trying to make sure I'm happy at that? No. This is my responsibility and I'll take it. Besides, he's already agreed to someone checking on him."

"Someone?" Jonouchi asked. "Why?"

"I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to stay awake if he breaks out. He refused to stop protecting me, so I made a deal with him. That he could go free as long as he agreed to someone watching over him if and when he did. He also said that, if they were nowhere close, he'd go straight to them and say what he's been up to."

"Who?" I heard Anzu ask before Yuugi slowly looked away from the Puzzle to Anzu before turning to me and keeping his stare there.

It took me less than half a second to figure out what it meant and I felt my eyes go wide in response.

"Me?"

The nod felt like someone had just signed a contract I hadn't been aware of in my behalf. I felt my heart near stop and my chopsticks nearly slip out of my grip to hit the floor. I heard my brother's seat slide across the floor before his hand found my shoulder, Yuugi's gaze leaving mine for him the second he asked, "Why?"

"It's... complicated."

"Uncomplicate it," I heard him say with a tone that didn't allow for argument.

"Well... you know that your sister is a psychic, right?"

The hand on my shoulder squeezed. It was supposed to be comforting, I knew that, but I couldn't help but flinch under it. I didn't like this. Didn't like it at all.

"What about it?"

"He said she knew way before we did that something was going on. At least, from her reactions. He said something about her not reacting the same way the others did when they met face to face the first time. Said she looked scared instead of thinking it was me. Then she somehow made it to the warehouse with no real explanation. And when I told him that, apparently, she'd felt some sort of shield and followed it back, he said that was exactly why she was the best option. Said that, if he lost control, she could feel it and protect you guys if it's necessary," Yuugi explained before looking at me to continue, "He said that, if she was willing to debunk the countless letters' thing then help me find him and her powers are true, then she is someone that he's willing to cooperate with. By the way, he said to tell you thank you. For both things."

But I could only bury my face into my hands. Dear god, what had I done? All I wanted to do was help. I had been ticked about Kokurano, and you try not to be scared when a Pharaoh that's more than a thousand years old and powers beyond your understanding stares at you. And yet, here I was, listening to Yuugi telling me that the spirit of the Puzzle was going to be counting on me in case something happened. I was human, for goodness sake! Not an ancient spirit with an Item to back it up! And he thought that I could either contain him or protect everyone if something happened? Was he crazy?

… No one answer that.

"… Dude, he realizes that no one can take that responsibility alone, right? I mean, I don't know how strong Megumi is, but he's asking a lot from one little girl," Jonouchi said, concern lacing his voice.

"Jonouchi's right," Anzu chimed in. "She can't do this by herself, powers or not. I don't care what the spirit says, I think we need to work together on this. Along with that, at the end of the day, he might have done what he did for you, Yuugi, but he protected us all. He even saved Honda's life. So I'm not letting Megumi do this by herself. In fact, I say we all work at this together. If the spirit -" But she interrupted herself when Jonouchi groaned loudly, glaring at him, "And what's wrong with my suggestion?"

"I got nothin' against the fact that we'll be doing all of this together, Anzu, but I'm kinda getting enough of hearing spirit, or he when it comes to the guy. Can we just give him a name or something? He's sticking around and I'm pretty sure that Yuugi won't want us treating the guy like a thing. So let's just give him a name, so we know we're talking about."

… Did Jonouchi just say that?

"And what do you suggest?"

Apparently he did, because Anzu was putting her hands on her hips, listening as he answered, "Yami," before violently slapping him at the back of the head, making my brother chuckle — thank god he felt a bit better over the whole thing — as he sat down while Jonouchi nursed the back of his head while looking at Anzu, "What the hell was that for?!"

"Can you even be a little less obvious?"

Before the blonde jabbed a thumb towards Yuugi, "Do you see Yuugi doing half the stuff this guy did? He poisoned another dude. With his own scorpion."

"He called an ambulance," Yuugi defended, making Jonouchi look at him.

"He still poisoned a guy. Sure, the guy deserved it because he was a self-righteous jerk, and owned a goddamn scorpion which just proves that he was a little bit coo-coo in the head, but I know you, Yuugi. Even if the guy is nuts, you wouldn't poison them. That spirit is like your rage, your dark side. So Yami fits," the blonde shrugged and I looked to my brother who was looking at the table. Thinking. Probably realizing that there was no way of pulling out of this, not anymore.

That was why, when I heard him take an audible breath, I knew that he'd made his decision.

"It does, although I think we should wait until tomorrow to see if he does need a name. As for helping Megumi, I think it's a good plan. If Yuugi can't manage to be awake at the same time as the spirit, then we'll all work together to make sure that he's well surrounded and learns right from wrong. My sister might have powers, but she can't deal with this. Not alone. We work as a team."

And I could only smile as he brought his hand to the center, waiting for us to put them all there. Jonouchi was the first to react, Anzu and Yuugi followed, and I was last.

We were probably months early, but at least we were going to ready for the worst.


	11. Death T Game Start

The worst I was expecting from the events concerning Shaadi, though, never happened. Didn't even get close to happening. By lunch on Monday, Yuugi was telling us about the meeting with a strange Egyptian man — Yami, who was slowly getting used to being called by his new name, had said that the man had carried two Millennium Items, confirming that it was, indeed, Shaadi — after the Museum had closed, which had led to a strange incident that had the Egyptian enter Yuugi's soul. Yuugi had been quick to turn inward when he'd realized that the man wasn't responding, but looked deep in concentration that seemed to be slowly failing, and had found Shaadi inside Yami's soul room, neck deep into a game that involved finding Yami's true room.

Needless to say Yuugi had not found it funny, helped Shaadi out and berated Yami the moment they found him. It was strange to imagine Yami getting yelled at by sweetheart Yuugi, but if the latter said it happened, I wasn't going to question it, at least not yet.

Still, it had led to a number of questions, and the confirmation that Shaadi hadn't just called the battle lost, but had entirely desisted. He had simply stated that his search was done, and he would return to Egypt. Impressive, to say the least, and confirming that Yami and Yuugi were doing progress. Significant progress.

So nothing there, nothing but Yuugi holding me after everyone left, and once he was sure that no one was listening, telling me that Yami had questioned the Egyptian about any knowledge on me, which had me balk a bit but thank him in the end before telling him that it was okay and watching him leave as realization sunk in and I checked yet another fact that I wasn't sure how to take.

Shaadi, I knew, was a spirit, and not any type of spirit, a spirit that was corporeal, had an existence to as certain extent. He was both dead and alive. And for Yami to question Shaadi if he knew about me, it meant that he'd seen a connection, a relation that even I couldn't deny. Both Shaadi and I were in the same state of existence, state that I had tested many, many times in the past to the near cost of my current life. I couldn't count the number of times I'd woken up in the hospital after questioning the links and reasons for my existence, along with my existence itself, and been told that my heart had suddenly stopped, forcing me to eventually set the unanswered questions aside and live. Live because I was scaring my brother, my family, and, strangely, I began to want to live. To want to wake up and see my family's smiles, hug them. The emptiness I had felt once was one I desperately wanted to fill, and the Hondas were just... great.

But to know that I was both dead and alive would give me an advantage in my own playing field. Because, if I was, that meant that my heightened sensitivity made sense. I had one foot in the real world and the other over the veil. I could see both sides if I dared to push that hard. All I needed was to hone my abilities.

And that was what I concentrated on in the next month, trying to see how far I could sense, how far I could stretch, and if I could manipulate whatever I could feel. With the last two, I didn't get lucky. Either it was the fact that I lacked practice or that I didn't have a Millennium Item — not that I cared. I wasn't getting close to those objects unless I absolutely needed to — but I just couldn't get beyond myself and trying to manipulate objects or anything was impossible.

The first, though, I did okay. Really okay. I was able to find and track my brother's whereabouts within three days, which soon caught my brother's attention since I tended to call for small favors every time he was in the kitchen, and I was busy with homework. Needless to say, he soon caught on — after the first two times, it stops being a coincidence, and, after the first five, you know that you're being played somehow — and asked me how I knew he was in the kitchen, which led to me to telling him, and, eventually, the group, that I was working on my sensing.

That was how we found myself in a park with the group hiding, so I could find them. There, I discovered a few things. Yuugi, if he wore the Puzzle, was like a sun. He was blinding, gravitational. There was no point in searching for other people, not without practice around Puzzle at least, because all my senses were called to it. In fact, it took me two weeks to lift myself from its influence, so I could sense the rest of the group and, finally, pin point them through the vegetation. I still wasn't exactly sure how it worked yet, but I didn't really care at this point, and one thing was certain. If I could cover a decent portion of terrain, we would have a serious advantage.

And I discovered just how much of one at the end of the month, when the announcement of Kaiba Land hit the news, sending a chill down my spine.

Death T. The beginning of the descent into hell. We might have been able to avoid the worst when it came to Shaadi, but the Kaiba brothers were deadly, making it extremely difficult to keep silent as the events aligned themselves in my head. The younger brother and his Capsule Monster Chess, then the poisoned Russian Roulette. All of this before Death T, orchestrated by Kaiba himself to bring down Yuugi in the most painful, most terrible way possible. Anything as recompense for Yami's slight and humiliation at the man who believes the Ultimate Dueling Master and entitled to everything the world had to offer.

Needless to say, sleep did not come easy, and my brother was quick to catch on as I never closed my lights completely and started looking simply ragged in the morning, prompting him to come into my room one night to ask what was going on.

"Just a bad feeling," I answered as he came closer and sat on the bed that I was almost refusing to leave, now. I knew that I needed to be ready, that this was why I was doing this, but goddamn if it wasn't terrifying.

"What about?"

"Kaiba Land. I know it's not open, but I'm just -"

"Would you feel better if we talked to the others about it? At lunch tomorrow?" he asked and I just nodded. Maybe I could do something before it happened. Maybe I could get things to work before everything happened.

The group agreed to a meeting. Said meeting promptly fell apart the next day. Anzu had personal issues to deal with. Our older sister was coming home to visit with her son, Johji. And when Saturday rolled around, I nearly got grounded on the basis that I was being mean to my nephew when he actually tried to fondle me.

I quickly exited the living room near tears. I nearly locked the door to my room before my brother stopped me, letting himself in and telling me to get dressed so that we could go out.

"But -"

"I don't like Johji anymore than you do, Megumi. Now come on. Didn't you say that you wanted to go to Kaiba Land?"

I didn't know if I was acting spoiled or not, but, at that point, I no longer cared. I wanted out, anywhere was good, and the fact that my big brother still remembered the plan, was still willing to go with it despite everyone having their own problems, was more than enough to get me smiling, if only a bit.

Because, for some obvious reasons, the closer we got to the beginning of Death T, of Kaiba Seto's try in humiliating Yuugi, the more I felt stressed. I didn't like admitting that I was going to be needed, but if Death T went anything as I remembered it, then someone was going to get hurt, or worse if I didn't show up.

Johji was already going to be missing as my big brother managed to get our nephew off our backs. My big brother himself had a game he might not pull through, and I — I just couldn't let it happen. I wouldn't let anyone get hurt.

And the fact that the minute we entered the dome, I felt a cold, almost freezing sensation as we took our seats did not reassure me.

For stepping into the dome was like stepping into death itself. The pressure, the heaviness in the air were hard to miss, and enough to remind me that I wasn't going to view a match, but an execution. Didn't matter how many people came in to add to the crowd. Didn't matter how many started to excitedly whisper to their neighbor about the rumors of Kaiba Seto. This was no clean, lawful match. It was an execution, and the arrival of Kaiba himself along with Jonouchi and Yuugi just confirmed that.

"Okay, now I think I'm getting your bad feeling," I heard, but couldn't answer to as I shivered, taking in Kaiba and the cold that accompanied him.

Kaiba Seto, I knew already, was no ordinary person. No matter if he was a genius or not — because he was, I will never deny that — he was a titan. A man of frigid calculation, of icy thought. Yami was scary because he had power, but, with luck, he might forgive you. Kaiba was scary because he had control. If he decided that you died, no amount of begging would save you, help you. And if he decided that you had to suffer before you died, he would take it all the way.

I flinched when the center curtain lifted and Yuugi's grandfather was shown in what Kaiba called the Battle Box, feeling my brother rise in his seat. I watched in horror as, turn after turn, the old man tried to defend himself and got his Blue Eyes White Dragon out, only to have it obliterated in the next few seconds as the ruthless CEO called onto one, two, three Blue Eyes White Dragon. And I gasped when Kaiba not only won and ripped apart the Blue Eyes Mr. Mutou had cherished for so many years, but walked out of the box and it lit up with monsters, leaving the public to hear the man's screams of terror.

If my brother was up at the beginning of the match, he was now over the stands and running to the ring, hitting the Battle Box with his shoulder in hopes to break it as Kaiba's words resounded in the arena.

"If you want to save your grandfather, Yuugi, you will agree to taking my challenge."

Neither book nor series had been just in showing Kaiba's insanity. He was crazier, colder and deadlier than I had ever imagined.

When I finally found the courage to jump the rail and run to Yuugi, he'd already accepted the challenge. When I made it to group — my big brother stopped hitting the box and joined them, much to Jonouchi's surprise — Mr. Mutou was already on a cot, getting transported to the hospital while the latter gave his deck to Yuugi. And when I turned to my brother, I already knew what I was doing was cowardly.

"Big brother?"

"Hm?"

Cowardly and selfish.

"Go with him."

But I couldn't bare the idea of him getting hurt again, him getting stuck in that block tower. The vision of him unconscious and near death in that chair was still there, still on my mind, and I wasn't going to accept failing again. I'd already seen it once, I wasn't ready to see it twice.

"What? No. No. Yuugi -"

"Big brother, please."

And I could only hope that he understood that. That someone did. I couldn't — I couldn't watch that block fall and...

A hand fell on my shoulder, interrupting my thoughts.

"I got her, Hiroto. I'll keep her safe," and Jonouchi's voice cut through the possible argument as I watched my brother back away. I didn't like having to do this. I didn't like having to send him away, but I had to. If I didn't, he'd get hurt. If I didn't, I'd never forgive myself.

… I was such a coward.

I watched my brother take off in the ambulance, worry written all over his face. I felt Jonouchi's hand turn me over so that we could face the other door that had opened. But I felt absolutely no happiness at the fact that my brother had left, no reassurance. Because it was cowardice, because it was the unwillingness to accept the fact that sometimes, people had to get hurt.

If I wanted to change, I had to gain courage.

I could only hope that, somewhere beyond those doors, I would find at least part of it.


	12. Stardust Shootout

I was a coward. I was a liar. Didn't matter how much I was doing to save the group's lives. Didn't matter how much I was doing to potentially protect them from threats. I was a liar and an overconfident person for even thinking that I was, somehow, capable of doing this. Reading or watching the events that were unfolding before me did not equal living them, and I was honestly stupid for thinking that, because five to six teenagers could deal with this, I could join without a problem. That because I was Honda Hiroto's sister, I had a chance at protecting him.

I flinched when the doors closed, barely said a word as I held out the fanny pack I had brought, knowing that Yuugi would need something to carry his cards with — with the little brain I had left, I had been careful in my choices of clothes and my hair before my brother and I had left home — and just nodded as Yuugi thanked me, trying to smile but not finding it in me to when Anzu appeared, screaming for help only stop halfway when she saw us, expression going from acting terrified to worried.

"Don't tell me..." I heard her say, and I spared a nod as Jonouchi sighed.

"Seems like the plan didn't fall completely through, now did it?" before he joked, but half of his humor missing.

"Where's Honda?" Anzu asked as she neared us, and I felt Jonouchi's hand find my shoulder again.

"Megumi had him leave. From the look on her face, she might have been trying to save him from something. My guess it's whatever's ahead."

"You're kidding," Anzu said, and I found just enough strength to shake my head, leaving her to gasp.

I was a coward. I was a liar. I was trying too hard, and I was breaking my promise to my brother by sending him away because I knew, I just knew that I couldn't stop him from getting caught in the third game if he was still there.

And once he realized that, I would lose his trust.

I closed my eyes and let the few tears trail along my cheek. At least he was out of danger. At least, when we finally found our way out of here and Yami took care of Kaiba, he'd be alright and have not gone through hell once again. Trust or not, at least he was safe.

I had to shake myself out of this. How the hell was I supposed to protect him, even be part of this, if I got scared at every turn? I had to face this, I had to do what I could. I'd argue with my brother later. For now, there was more important. For now, there was Death T and the traps that Kaiba had laid before us. My brother would wait, would have to wait. This was now no longer just about my brother and me. This was about something bigger than us.

I shook my head.

"Stardust Shootout? Can Kaiba be anymore predictable?"

And blinked while lifting my head as I heard Jonouchi talk. Stardust Shootout. First game of Death T. Three guys, three mercenaries, waiting on the other side of the door, with weapons that would kill us the moment we went through.

I took a breath, "Not just predictable. Deadly." before swallowing as the rest of the group turned to me while I continued, "Kaiba felt cold, calculating. Whatever he's built, he'd been building for a long time and with one idea in mind, and that idea concerns you, Yuugi." I watched Yuugi blink as I asked, "Did... you or Yami do anything to Kaiba in the past?"

His lips pursed, but he replied, "Yami did. Kaiba... tried to steal grandpa's Blue Eyes White Dragon. I went to get it back, but he refused. Yami... then took over and made a Shadow Game out of Duel Monsters. He then — then gave Kaiba a Penalty Game he called the Experience of Death when Kaiba lost. Same thing he did to grandpa in the Battle Box."

"Talk about holding a grudge," Jonouchi commented, making me chuckle humorlessly.

"Kaiba doesn't take well to those who owns what he wants. You heard what he did to the people who owned the other three Blue Eyes. You'll think he'll stop there?"

"He got what he wanted! He ripped Mr. Mutou's card to pieces to assure himself that he was the only owner of the card!" the blonde shouted as I leaned against the wall, still chuckling.

"You're thinking too small. While the Blue Eyes is still in play, this is no longer just about the card itself, no longer about the oh so precious card he couldn't get his hands on. This is about the fact that he's supposed to be the strongest, the best at everything he does, and Yami beat him. Yami humiliated him and threw him into a nightmare. It's not about the card. It's about revenge."

The entire group fell silent and straightened. I could almost hear Kaiba shouting in his chair at not only the fact that Anzu was part of Yuugi's friends, but that one of said friends was busting his carefully laid plan to pieces.

"You can't be serious?" I heard Jonouchi ask after a minute. "That's insane. Why would — Why would anyone would go through such extremes for a game they lost?"

"Because they're insane to begin with," but it was Yami's gaze I met with, giving a mirthless smirk as he frowned, "He scared you, didn't he?"

I nodded and finally slumped to sit, "You got no idea what it felt like. Everything felt cold, frigid, like I was suffocating in ice. The entire crowd might have been cheering, but it wasn't a match. Kaiba executed Mr. Mutou, plain and simple. He knew he would win, he knew Yuugi would agree. And he knows that you're going to go for him. It's what he wants. It's what he's going to get. To him, this is all an elaborate game where victory means to live on and defeat means -"

"Death," Yami interrupted with a nod. "I know. His little brother came looking for me as revenge, then poisoned Jonouchi yesterday when he didn't win and victory became personal."

"He what?!" Anzu exclaimed, getting a stare from Jonouchi himself.

"I'm alive, Anzu. It's fine. I'm just glad we lived. That doesn't answer the question of what happens now, though."

Yami looked at the door leading to the first challenge, "We win."

"Are you insane?!"

Before looking at Anzu with a sharp stare as he replied, "The only way out of here is through whatever games Kaiba has planned for us. Which means that, in order to proceed, we have to win. We give up, we lose, we die. It's not a choice we have, Anzu. And as much as I would like to apologize for dragging you all in something that I could only call insanity, no apology will change the fact that we're all stuck in here, and we have to go through this together." before he turned to me, "So if your brother dares to blame you for wanting to protect him from something you knew was coming, he will have me to deal with. It's not your fault, it's mine."

And I could feel myself start to breathe. Thank god. Thank god someone would defend me.

"Thank you," I uttered, finally able to give a weak smile as he gave a nod before looking to the vests above me, making everyone, even me, look at them.

It took a minute before Anzu's eyes widened in realization, and she started taking off her vest, the gun falling out and hitting the floor at an odd angle, jarring the trigger and sending a shot flying in my direction. I ducked as quickly as possible, glad that my hair was tied up with a hair clip as a hole formed in the wall where my head had been.

Motherfucker.

"… Kaiba is fucking insane," I heard Jonouchi say as he collected the gun, careful not to press the trigger again as I rose. "You okay, Megumi?"

"As long as my hair is not on fire, I think I am," I tried, getting a scowl from Anzu.

"Don't joke like that! I almost killed you!"

"It's an accident, Anzu. Besides, now we know if Kaiba rigged the game or not," I said as I got up and made my way to the group who was looking at the gun, sans Anzu who was still freaking out a bit while I smiled at her, continuing, "It's fine, Anzu, really. Besides, considering what's probably going to be waiting for us, this is the least of our problems."

I watched her shuffle, "If you're sure."

"I am. Now, what have we got?"

"Thing's like a taser, I'm guessing, but a lot stronger from the hole it formed," Jonouchi stated. "So it's pretty much one shot and you're dead kind of thing," before he sighed. "Kinda makes me wish that Hiroto was here, to be honest. He'd deal with this no problem."

I swallowed, "Can you settle with second best?" and felt the stares fall on me, but Jonouchi was the one to speak.

"No. Oh no. Hiroto would have been able to adjust it, not you. I'm not -"

"If you going in there on your own, you're going to get killed," I argued, "For all we know, Kaiba hired someone whose able to shoot that thing and there's at least two considering that he's got at least you and Yuugi. You might be able to handle five fighters, Jonouchi, but not two professional marksmen."

"Still, you're not -"

"I already made big brother leave, Jonouchi. How do you think he'll react if he discovers you're dead?"

I hated having to do this. I hated having to points out facts that I knew would pull out at heart strings and make someone bend in my favor. It felt so much like manipulation that I felt sick about the fact that I had to do it. No one should feel like I felt right at that moment, but I knew that, if I didn't, Jonouchi wouldn't greet us in victory. We'd find his corpse, instead.

So, if I had to bloody my hands to make sure he lived, I would. I'd already made myself guilty of not trusting my brother, what was one more?

"How many, Anzu?" I heard him question.

"… Three."

"Then I hope you know what you're doing, Megumi," Jonouchi stated while tossing me the weapon, no smile on his face. It was worry, guilt that lined his face instead as he put on one of the vests and quickly tossed me one. "'Cause you're forcing me to break a promise I made to your brother."

But I could only bite my lip when he said that, "What promise?"

"Remember the night I came at your place?" he asked and I nodded. "He and I said that we'd never let any of you join us. Our hands are dirty enough by themselves, Megumi. You sure you want to put possible blood on yours?"

"If I don't, you die," I said, but it was weak, at best. I couldn't — I couldn't argue. I — I was...

"How about I go?"

I blinked at the sound of Yuugi's voice, head whipping around to see Yami getting rid of his jacket that Anzu accepted.

"What about -" I tried.

"Yuugi accepted and will have nothing to do with this. Plus, there's already both dirt and blood on my hands. Can't get any worse than it already has, and, for once, I'll be doing this knowing that I really had no other choice. Any objections?"

But fell silent after he interrupted, listening to his reasons and trying to remember how good an aim Yami might have, if it had ever been mentioned. I couldn't, but, in the end, I guess it didn't matter as Jonouchi nodded.

"Megumi, give Yami the equipment."

And I obeyed, unable to help the, "I'm sorry" that left my lips.

"You're a psychic, Megumi. A healer. Not a murderer. Leave the battlefield to those who can handle it."

Until that. Until those words that only reminded me of the fact that I had replaced a child that had died. Was I? Was I really?

"Yami..." I tried as he got the equipment on and tried to figure out how the gun worked while being careful not to aim it at any of us.

"No need to thank me. I brought you all into this mess. It's up to me to make sure that you're all alive at the end," he said with a shrug, but before I could ask him what he meant exactly, Jonouchi was calling him, and they were through the door that closed behind them, making me look at Anzu.

A healer. Was that why I was here? To heal? Heal what? Who? I couldn't even save my own brother and put him in danger instead.

I needed to change. I just needed to.


	13. Death T-1 End

I lost track of time. I lost track of everything in the few minutes after the boys left and, as much as I could hear Anzu and answer to her as we both sat down, I felt distant, detached. I couldn't set my mind straight. I couldn't get myself to function correctly. I knew this was the right decision, the only decision that was even acceptable. But part of me felt like I should have pushed, should have refused the change. That part was angry, angry at me for letting it slide.

And it was a part of myself that I recognized. A part that had guided me through part of my life and, eventually, forced me out of the walls I cowered behind. A part that would, indeed, be outraged by everything I was letting slip.

The part that wanted, no needed vindication. That needed to prove itself as strong and reliable. That needed to assure itself that it was wanted, needed, and worth anything good that happened to it. I never accepted gifts. I earned everything. I worked for everything I did.

And save for two times, I hadn't worked enough to say that I had earned the place I had. I was still Hiroto's sister.

It was stupid. It was selfish. It was still what it felt like.

"Is something bothering you, Megumi?"

And I hoped I wasn't making the wrong choice by saying it out loud.

"Do you see me as my big brother's sister?"

She shrugged, "Well, yes. You are Honda's sister, after all."

"Only that?"

Before staring at me with wide eyes, "What? No. Why would I — Did Jonouchi say something?"

And I shook my head, "No, but I — I am a," and sighed before daring to say, "I feel kinda useless. I feel like Yami took my place because I couldn't kill. I -"

"Stop right there, Honda Megumi, or I will," Anzu interrupted, looking half-scandalized, "I don't know who put those thoughts in your mind, but you're not useless. Do you think any of us would have put together that Kaiba is after Yuugi for revenge if you hadn't felt it? To be able to do what you do, hell, to even be able to do half of it takes a hell of a lot of strength. You felt what Kaiba wanted, what he's like, and you didn't even flinch. Instead, you went ahead and sent your brother away in order to protect him before telling us exactly what he's up to. He's in my homeroom class, Megumi, and no one dares going close to him unless they absolutely have to. Jonouchi is the only one who dares to confront him, too. You did something no one else could have done, all of that despite being scared.

"So sure, I'm glad you're Honda's little sister, but that's mainly because I wouldn't have met you otherwise. And do you know how hard it is to get a girl who can stand those three? Most of my friends took off when they realized that Jonouchi was adding himself to my circle of friends. Yuugi was fine, but Jonouchi? It was enough to have most running for the hills. But I still have a girl friend despite the three maniacs, and that's good," she said with a smile, before taking a tone I'd learned to recognize, "That reminds me, next week, shopping trip. I need new shoes."

And I chuckled at it, "More like a new coat. I saw the poor thing on Friday, Anzu, it looked wrecked."

Chuckle she followed me on, "New coat it is. Hell knows it's getting cold, and -" but never got to finish as the doors slid open and the boys joined us while we got up, Anzu leaving the mundane conversation about shoes and coats to ask, "How was it?"

And it was Yami that answered as Jonouchi couldn't take off the vest fast enough, making me rush to his aid, "Two down, one dead. Could have been worse."

Before wincing at that. The way Yami had just said that was almost callous, like he didn't care. Then again, with the amounts of lives he'd taken, I could only guess that was normal.

… Somehow, I was glad that I was spared the fact that I might have had to take out a life.

"How about you two?" I still questioned, hoping they were both okay. A wound I could take care of, but anything major and there was no certainty that I could help. And no ambulance was getting in here, that was certain.

Still, I watched Yami reach for the fanny pack that I had given Yuugi, simply detaching it with one hand before holding it out to me, saying, "How about you find that out for yourself?" which only made me blink. How did he — How did he know that I packed a few essentials to make sure everyone would be alright?

He smirked and added, "You're not the only one who can sense souls, you know."

… Oh. Oh, right. Imprints. When you used something long enough, and did so with meaning, with a purpose, part of yourself imprinted itself on the object. The more you gave something meaning, the more that object gained that meaning and not just to your eyes, but to everyone. And that was how.

I took the pack with a thank you and a promise to return it — he shrugged at that, probably knowing that I would anyway — and, while Anzu helped Yami out of the vest after the gun was disposed off — Jonouchi smashed it against the wall for good measure — I looked at the blonde, checking for wounds. The only one was on his face and square on it, making me ask him what had happened. He responded with, "Elbow in the face. War dude didn't find it funny when I appeared in the rafters and made him drop his gun."

I rolled my eyes at the satisfied smile and took care of his nose before checking on Yami who, thankfully, had no injuries.

And I won't lie, I felt better. Whether it was the talk with Anzu, which I had really appreciated, or the fact that I could still do damage control, but I felt okay again. Ready for the next mess that was going to present itself to us once we were ready to face it.

I handed the pack back to Yami who put it back on, and found myself asking, "How's Yuugi?"

"Awake and well. He saw nothing of the match."

Before nodding at his answer, "Good. Thank you."

"Don't. Don't thank me for something I would have done anyway."

And nodding again at that before taking a breath as Jonouchi said, "Alright, ready to go through? This is only the first match," while jabbing his thumb towards the door. Death T-1. First of five, if I recalled correctly. That meant we still have four more to go. I could only hope it went alright.


	14. The Fall

The door of Death T-2 came into view sooner than I would have liked. Even if the corridors in between games were empty and very, very white — enough to remind someone of an asylum white — it was still better and more welcoming than the games themselves. Along with that, those same corridors were the only place where we could have somewhat of a nice conversation between the four of us, although most of us were to worried about what was to come instead of wanting to joke about the situation we were in.

Then again, there was nothing funny about the fact that someone felt so angry and entitled that the only way to get revenge on one of the people that I considered a friend was to kill them while slowly making them anticipate death with all the horror it deserved. Nothing funny about the fact that I knew, at this point, that Kaiba Seto would do anything, and I mean anything, to eliminate Yami and his host and friend, Yuugi, in the most gruesome way possible to satisfy the urge for revenge.

The doors slid open, revealing the ride that had me take a breath along with the butler that seemed way too happy to be able to play such a role, although the smile felt more like a row of teeth than a happy grin as he welcomed us to Death T-2, explaining the process of the game and the ride we had to take to reach the center of the attraction, or haunted mansion as it was.

"Just a ride? My friends nearly got killed in the game I was orchestrating and you expect us to believe that this is just a ride? Stop lying to us."

That was all it took for Anzu to react, and advance towards the ride, not sitting on either of the five seats but quickly making her way to the back, examining the seat that the butler would sit in, quickly finding the buttons to trigger the different gizmos from the different seats.

I saw the quick wink Anzu gave in my direction before crossing her arms, watching the man pale as the guys — Jonouchi and Yami looked thoroughly pissed — approached him, and he backed away. Anzu had taken the cue. Had figured out that everything was bobby-trapped and Kaiba would really stop at nothing. Even if the ride would have required my nephew originally, now, with the situation we had, we didn't.

Best and worst proof? The scream Anzu gave as the ride activated by itself, and she gripped unto the closest seat while it sled into darkness. The unanimous stunned reactions we gave as it happened before I screamed Anzu's name, not even taking the time to have a clue as to what the others would be doing before I darted off, knowing that if I was right, Anzu was going to be in more danger than we were going to be up here with the butler.

And, as fate would have it, I was right. I was freaking right as I got down there, to see the ride half destroyed and hear the screams covering the sounds of a chainsaw before seeing Anzu running away from a man holding said chainsaw.

Chopman. I had to think and think quick. Or else Anzu was going to die.

Thank god I saw the guillotine that would have been used for the "bllood" game.

I grabbed a piece of wood and threw it in Chopman's direction, glad that it hit the back of his skull and that he turned, seeing me before rushing towards me the second I started running. I avoided a downwards swipe of the chainsaw before scrambling over the mount where our hands should have been, and he laughed as I headed for the rope that would bring down the blade, the mechanic saw starting to dig into the wood. I didn't have much time. The thick wood wouldn't keep him at bay for long...

The rope came undone and the blade of the guillotine came down with a sickening sound, hitting the saw and breaking it as I cowered, backpedaling to the closest wall before I heard the sound of metal hitting something before it was dropped, making a loud clang against the ground as two arms surrounded me and I didn't hesitate to hug back, shaking as I heard Anzu's voice telling me that everything was alright.

"It's okay. It's okay. We're both alive. It's okay."

It took me a few seconds more to open my eyes and see Yami there, looking at the unconscious Chopman with a snarl, metal bar too close to him to say that he hadn't been the one to swing it. It took a few more to be able to stand and for Jonouchi to arrive, blinking at the scene.

"What the hell happened here?" I heard him say as I tried to slowly let go of Anzu only to nearly fall to the ground since I was still shaking, noticing that Anzu was doing the same. Didn't expect any less, to be honest.

Yami spoke, "This man was waiting for us down here. Attacked Anzu, I'm guessing. I got here just time to see Megumi leading him to the guillotine system and hit him in the head. We were lucky."

… No shit, Sherlock.

I tried to calm down, breathe. I swallowed a couple of times as Jonouchi swore a storm before asking if there was a way out.

Anzu was the one to answer, though, "There's four switches back here. I'm guessing one of them leads to the exit." Making the boys gather to our location and Jonouchi gently pry me off Anzu to hold me as Yuugi — the gaze in those kind eyes couldn't have been anyone else — gently took Anzu's hand before she grabbed him for a hug.

No words were spoken. No one moved. Just the sound of soft sobs coming from Anzu filled the silence, and I barely noticed my own tears as I cried silently against Jonouchi.

We'd almost died. We'd just got so close to death that we should have. We hadn't. Still, now I understood why Jonouchi, Yami and my brother had made such a big case of not letting someone like me kill. For not letting us, the girls, get involved in the fighting. I was more than satisfied in being support.

I swallowed again and slowly pulled away from Jonouchi, finally feeling the hand that was on my head. He was trying to soothe me, and, from the smile, was glad that I was alright again.

"Hey," was the only thing he said, though, as I tried to smile back and felt the shakes slowly come to a stop. We were alive. That was all that mattered. We were alive.

"Hey," I replied, taking a shaky breath again, but feeling the hand on head this time, making me smile a bit before I looked to Anzu and Yuugi who looked like they were recovering too.

"You okay, Megumi?"

And it was only confirmed when Anzu spoke and reached a hand towards me, smiling when I grabbed it.

"Yeah, I'm okay. You?"

"As long as my hair wasn't cut off, I think I'm good."

Before we laughed breathlessly over my words. I was honestly just glad that I could still joke, still breathe. Still live.

I'd brushed death once because of a near exsanguination, died in a car crash, but I couldn't have been more glad to be alive than now.

I looked at Yuugi, "Tell Yami thank you. I don't think we'd still be alive, if it weren't for him."

"He says it's fine. He also congratulates you on your quick thinking."

Oh, if only he knew. I chuckled and felt myself blush before looking up at Jonouchi who was staring at the buttons. Way out. Right. I completely pulled away and looked to the buttons myself. Four buttons. If I remembered correctly, only one of them uncovered the way out, and the rest triggered the guillotine. But considering that the guillotine was dead...

"We all press one?" I heard Jonouchi say before Anzu shrugged.

"Considering that the trap was set off, I don't see the harm."

And we did. We did and heard the latch go free before a portion of the ground slid open on the other side of the contraption, finally giving us a way out of this nightmare. It felt like a blessing.

"Stay here. I'm gonna check if our chainsaw maniac's still out," Jonouchi suggested, moving out first before disappearing for a second and reappearing, hesitant and lips pursed as I felt dread sink into my gut. Not my feeling. Jonouchi's. Chopman wasn't just out, he was dead. Yami hadn't been gentle with his blow.

The blonde cleared us out of the room as fast as possible, dodging Anzu's question before I took her hand, stopping her as she finally caught on. There was nothing nice about these games. There was nothing kind about Kaiba. And, for once, I wondered why Yami had actually spared him, why, instead of driving him to the complete edge, he'd saved him, instead.

But, from the look in Yuugi's eyes and the fact that he kept pursing his lips in agitation, I knew. I knew why. In the end, it wasn't Yami's decision. It wasn't the spirit and his will to punish that won out. It was Yuugi. Yuugi, along with his desire to give people second chances, had won, forcing a change in Yami's methods.

"We are not making Kaiba pay!"

And I had the best proof as Yuugi shouted, bringing us all to a stop to look at him while he shook his head, blinking a few times to refocus on us.

"You alright, Yuugi?"

Only to sigh, when Anzu asked about his welfare, "I'm fine. Yami, though, he's — he's upset. The Kaiba brothers... They're really pushing his buttons. And I can understand why, but — but I'm not taking anyone's life, nor driving them to the brink. Kaiba did something wrong, but if Yami hadn't antagonized him in the first place, none of this would have happened."

"Hey, don't go blaming Yami," Jonouchi interjected. "He wanted to get back what Kaiba had stolen."

But all it did was make Yuugi shout, "I understand that! But Kaiba did this to prove himself stronger and look at what it's doing! It's — It's..."

Making me speak as the surrounding walls became white, "It's not about who's stronger. It's about being the better person."

Before Yuugi swallowed, took a shaky breath and nodded, "Yeah. Kaiba was wrong in what he did, but that doesn't make what Yami did right. This is not about winning and proving who's the best, because doing that would only make things worse. It's about proving that there's something else than this. Something else than being the strongest or the best at what they do. Sometimes, it's not about hitting back. It's about protecting what you care for."

Which, from the way Jonouchi stopped, was the thing to do. The thing to say. And it didn't take me long to figure out why. Jonouchi had accepted Yuugi's friendship over a fight. A fight where Yuugi had gotten beaten up, but had won the blonde over because of that same attitude.

So, when Jonouchi sighed and went to hesitantly ruffle the wild, tri-colored hair, I knew that Yuugi had won. I knew that Yuugi was the reason Yami wasn't going to hurt, but save.

Because it wasn't about being the best, it was about a second chance.

For now, though, that second chance was going to have to wait as the doors of the next game opened with a flash of steam, and I felt all the nervousness come back with a vengeance when the white, tile patterned walls coldly greeted us. Everything was going to have to wait as the doors closed and I felt panic course through my veins, my mind sending flashes of the events that should have happened here.

The blocks falling. Everyone scrambling to the exit once Anzu had found the pattern. The pattern suddenly changing speed. And my brother's jacket getting caught between two blocks, preventing a quick escape before the block that would bar the entrance fell.

He wasn't here. He was safe with Yuugi's grandfather. He wouldn't live something traumatic again.

… So why did I still feel scared?

"Megumi?"

Why was I still in panic when the events would be completely avoided? And why couldn't I stop myself from flinching when I felt a hand on my shoulder, forcing me to avoid it completely and meet with a frowning, confused Jonouchi before Anzu spoke, "It's here, isn't it?"

At least I could still manage the nod. The vigorous nod that Anzu pursed her lips at, making Jonouchi question her.

"Megumi is a psychic, Jonouchi. Why do you think Honda's not here?"

But he soon dropped his agitation when Anzu answered with a question of her own, this time looking at me with understanding and sadness while he said, "That's — that's why...?"

And I nodded. Nodded again, feeling tears slowly gather. He wasn't here, he was safe. I needed to calm down.

I felt Jonouchi's arms surround me as the others drew near. I was glad that no one asked anything as I tried to get my fear under control, knowing that this was it. If I couldn't fight this, if I couldn't face this, then I was as good as dead. I was useless, incompetent. So I had to, needed to do this.

I went to pull away and looked up. At the missing ceiling, speaking, "Blocks. Blocks are going to -"

But I never got the chance to finish as it started. The first block fell, forcing us to scatter while Jonouchi pulled me towards him and I screamed. Shrieked in fear and gripped onto Jonouchi's jacket, unable to stop my tears. I had to — I had to -

The next block fell and I screamed again, unable to hear the sounds of the group shouting at each other for some reason. I couldn't — I couldn't — I had to...

I felt a hand touch my cheek, and my head move up. Up to look at hazel eyes and a smile that was supposed, I was sure, to be reassuring.

"Megumi, you're gonna follow me, okay? You're going to stay with me and you're going to move with me. We can do this together, alright?"

But the only thing I could do was nod wordlessly once he was done and flinch as the next block dropped, trying to regain some amount of concentration, of semblance to anything remotely human but still jumping, moving when he told me to. He pushed me onto the next block before pulling himself onto it, grabbing my hand when I'd offer it, but continuously talking, making sure that I could hear him, that I obeyed him, and that, even if I cried, I could still understand and see a minimum.

And I did. I followed his instructions as I kept flinching at every drop, at every block. I couldn't concentrate on Anzu, on Yuugi whom I knew were still in the room, but I could concentrate on Jonouchi, on his words and his smiles.

"You're doing great, Megumi, keep going. Next one is to the left. That's it. Alright, up you go."

"Jonouchi!"

Right up until the scream. The cry Anzu gave as I slid to the exit and I saw Jonouchi jerk forward. Jerk and let me see that his jacket, his school jacket, had just caught.

No.

My heart stopped. My breath halted, and once Yuugi was up and turning around, I was already trying to leave the alcove to go for Jonouchi, barely hearing him calling for Anzu as I screamed. Yelled as tears ran down my cheek, trying to get out of the hold someone had me in, trying to reach for him.

I couldn't — I couldn't — No. NO! This couldn't happen! I'd done — I'd done -!

The block sunk. And I screamed.


	15. Shock

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had hoped for the previous chapter to land today, but I guess beggars can't be choosers. It's been one hell of a week if I take everything into account and the fact that I'm now trying to come up with simple meals that don't involve a stove says everything. My husband is due for a nasty talk with his mother and it's not fun all around.
> 
> ... Hopefully, I get a job soon and all of that will be behind us as we'll get our own apartment and the likes. I can't wait to have our own place that we can work through as we want to. The place we live in right now feel like a dump and it's making me feel really bad.

There was noise. Shouts of a crowd and yells of commands before silence spread, making me feel like I was drowning. There was color. Splashes of red, yellow, blue and green before it became white, then faded to darkness. There was space. Cramped and contained before it became spacious then cramped again, tighter this time as a voice guided me through endless tunnels of air.

I agreed to something. I remembered that. I remembered coming to long enough to nod at something that led me to being in a cramped space. I remembered recognizing the voice that spoke to me, guided me through the tunnels of darkness, but unable to pin-point who it was exactly. I remembered wanting to cry, but not finding the strength to as I crawled, sometimes hearing the voice talking to me as I stopped.

And I remembered thinking one thing and one thing only.

I'd killed Jonouchi.

In the end, I hadn't saved my brother. I hadn't saved my brother by sending him away and going with the group. I'd just switched the target. Just like I had when I'd opened my mouth and made my brother run towards J'z only for him to get caught instead of Jonouchi, I had switched my brother with someone else.

I'd saved my brother by putting Jonouchi in his place.

I wasn't a killer. I hadn't meant to do that. Still had. I had still made the biggest mistake...

"Megumi?"

I felt my head snap up and saw blond hair. I felt my breath catch and my eyes water as I heard my name again, not noticing or caring for the blocks that were in my way while I rushed to him and grabbed his shirt before sobbing into it once I was sure that it was him I was holding.

He was alive. He was alive. Thank god, he was alive.

"Jonouchi..." I sobbed, not caring at the fact that he took away the hair clip to put a soothing hand on my head, instead only gripping his shirt tighter as I noticed his lack of jacket.

And the room. The room of Death T-3 around us, blocks and all. He should have been stuck in here. He should have been unable to free himself, unless — unless...

I jerked out of his hold and turned around to see a boy. A kid with shaggy, black hair arriving to his shoulder blades, charcoal eyes, and a white, high collar outfit. Mokuba. Kaiba Mokuba.

… All I could do was switch. Mokuba was the one to decide if they went free or not. I hadn't — I hadn't...

It wasn't my fault.

"Thank you," left my lips in a near whisper, earning a thin lipped smile from the boy in question as Jonouchi started protesting.

"Thank you? He poisoned me!"

"He also just saved your life. The game's stopped, Jonouchi, and he's the only one except Kaiba who can -" I started.

"I don't expect a thank you. All I'm doing is paying a debt. Yuugi told me he'd try to help my brother. I'm doing my share," Mokuba interrupted, going back to the vent, "Now, you guys want out? I can lead you out and open the door that leads to the next game. Yuugi should be still dealing with my brother, and the guards are armed, I need to get there before he wins."

And it was callous, empty, almost hurtful. It had me shut up and my shoulders descend before Jonouchi asked me if I was steady enough to walk, to which I answered positively, so we could get out of this blocky hell-hole. It had me trying to sense him, trying to understand what was going on in his mind as we moved through the vent system. And it had me shouting for him to wait once he started walking as I got out, grateful for Jonouchi's help, but knowing, just knowing that I had to stop Mokuba from walking away.

Because I knew that pain. I recognized it, had felt it for years. The hope to be able to redeem oneself while knowing, feeling it in your bones that, no matter what you did, you'd never be forgiven for what you'd done. That nothing, nothing at all, could erase the stains on your hands.

I didn't run, didn't reach out, nothing like that. I just shouted, "My name is Honda Megumi!" before watching him stop. Halt and turn around as I tried for a step forward, repeating myself with a softer tone, "My name is Honda Megumi. What's yours?"

"I — I don't think —," he hesitated, stepping back as I interrupted him with an insistent, but soft plead. I had to. I had to make this right.

He seemed to struggle with himself before stuttering out, "K-Kaiba Mokuba." making me smile. Smile and move forward to bow respectfully to him.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Kaiba Mokuba. And thank you for saving my friend," I said before hearing the step back.

"I — I still really don't think this is the right time, Miss Honda. The rest of your friends need help, and I -"

And adding as I rose back, smiling as gently as I could, "I understand. We can formally introduce ourselves later." before turning to Jonouchi, beckoning him to join me as I said, "Jonouchi can fight if you need help. Will you?"

"I'd... appreciate it."

It was so strange to see him so hesitant. So doubtful. And at the same time it hurt. It hurt because he wasn't used to people being nice to him. Willing to help him without any other reason than just being helpful. He was used to being alone.

"Nuh-uh, I ain't helping him, Megumi. He-"

"Jonouchi, please. Be the better man. Just this once."

That was why I could only hope I could make Jonouchi bend. I could only hope he'd agree, just this once, to helping someone who'd tried something hateful because he didn't know any better.

Because it was true. Of both brothers. They didn't know any better. They just didn't know how to act any other way because it was the only thing they knew.

I felt my throat tighten, and, this time, it was because I knew how sad their situation was. How terrible it was to be alone. To think that the world was against you when part of it wasn't. And that I could only hope to make a dent into that.

I heard Jonouchi sigh and agree. I smiled as I watched Mokuba trying to catch up and lick his lips nervously before giving the blonde a rough plan of what to do and what to leave in Mokuba's hands when we went in. And I joined them in the rush into the other room, just in time to watch Yami lay the Penalty Game while Jonouchi took down one of the guards before Mokuba asked them all to stand down and join Yami as the latter left the Battle Box. It was fast, it was efficient, one of the best proofs that Kaiba wasn't the only one skilled enough to deal with a company as big as Kaiba Corporation.

However...

Mokuba was young. Not nearly old enough to even do anything with the company just yet. The stocks were going to fall, crash monumentally because Kaiba wasn't there. Mokuba alone couldn't save the sinking ship while his brother tried to piece himself back together.

And, if I was right, Mokuba wasn't just going to be dealing with the situation by himself. He was going to be alone. Completely and utterly alone. All his friends, everyone would desert him. No money, no way to buy his way in or out. He was helpless.

I wouldn't let that happen. I couldn't let that happen. I didn't care if the group didn't agree, I couldn't. They needed help, a hand, something. Yuugi was right. We were better than that. And all I wanted to do was give to the Kaiba brothers something they'd never had.

Hope.


	16. Being the Better Person

"You want to what?"

I fidgeted. If giving the Kaiba brothers a bit of company in their solitude and a bit of hope in their helplessness had sounded so easy two weeks ago, it was no longer the case now.

Not that my brother was mad. My brother was far from angry, even after he'd been told about Death T, its contents and the fact that Jonouchi had been the one who'd gotten himself caught instead. He was incredulous.

"Big brother, he saved Jonouchi's life -"

"No, no, no. I get that. But how does that involve going to his place?"

He just couldn't believe the extremes I was willing to go for someone who not only had tried to kill us, but had made our lives hell for an entire day, forcing us into secrecy from our parents and our sister. I had honestly found it awesome to have something to share with my brother, but he had been less than enthusiastic about it, and now that I was willing to go to the ones that had given me a bad feeling in the first place was sure to set him on edge.

But Kaiba Mokuba was lonely. Was facing adversity by himself and, I knew, it would only get worse from there. He wouldn't just be lonely. He would be abandoned. Left to rot in a corner until he became resentful of Yuugi's actions, and I couldn't, just couldn't let that happen.

"He's alone, big brother, alone in a big house with only servants and guards that he probably rarely talks with. Not to mention that his big brother is currently in a coma, which means he's in the hospital. I know they both made our lives hell, but Yuugi said that we're trying to be the better people. I can't -"

It was sigh that interrupted me, and I watched my brother pinch the bridge of his nose, shaking his head before leaning against my desk, looking up at the ceiling, mumbling something along the lines of I would be the death of him. I wanted to chuckle. I contained it as he lowered himself, looking at me with a half begrudging, half defeated look.

"And you're not getting a bad feeling about it?"

Which went to complete defeat when I shook my head, making him sigh again, hand going from the bridge of his nose to below, covering his mouth as he mumbled, "You want to help him, don't you? Just like you did with Yuugi?"

I could only nod after a fashion, only to hear him groan. Did that mean...?

"Alright, fine. But I'm going with you this time, okay? I haven't seen the kid and would like to know he's alright with my own eyes. God knows Kaiba is an asshole and a half and I don't want you in danger."

Yes. Yes, it did. I couldn't help but grin broadly before hugging my brother tightly, telling him thank you as he tried to tell me we'd go this Friday after school, leaving me ample time to plan. More than ample time, actually, since when my brother discovered about said plans — it was... hard to miss. When flour and sugar got involved, he knew that I was up to something, and he tried helping me out as much as possible while our mother watched, making comments here and there and adding how proud she was that I would make a good wife, which only had me want to laugh.

Again, there were a few things I remembered from the past, and one of them was that, while I did get married, I had never planned to, and that I had never, never wanted kids. And that hadn't changed from my past life to now. I wasn't planning on getting married, instead wanting to start a small bakery or a cafe before everything slipped away from me. As for kids, the reason I had chosen not to have any was still active. Very, very active. I was still afraid of making the same mistakes that had been made on me, and, even with the background I had, I still didn't feel ready to have children. That responsibility was one I didn't want.

But that was something I kept well, very well hidden. It would only break my mother's heart, and I couldn't bear doing that just yet. Besides, if everything went according to plan, after this wacko plot of saving the world we were now on, my plan would stop any man to be interested in me. Because, in Japan, who would want of a woman who wasn't afraid to run her own bakery, was socially above them and, even better, wasn't afraid to go after what she wanted?

Yep, I was drawing myself to be lonely for a while. Just like I had been in the past.

Didn't matter. I'd deal with it when the time came. I had friends. Great friends. And a brother. An awesome brother who loved his little sister enough to let her drag him to the flower shop on Friday since said sister wanted to have a gift for both brothers. And while Mokuba could eat, Kaiba Seto was still in the hospital ward, so it was best to go for what was customary.

That was how my brother and I ended up in front of the Kaiba Mansion with a bouquet in my hands and a plastic container filled with cookies in my bag while I reached for the intercom button, hoping that Mokuba was home as my brother still shook his head in consternation.

"State your name and business."

But I could only swallow at the cutting way the guard on the other side of the intercom addressed us. This was going to be tougher than I thought.

"Honda Hiroto, and this is my sister, Honda Megumi. We're here to see Kaiba Mokuba."

"Master Mokuba is currently busy. You're going to have to come back at another time."

And, as much as I'd liked my brother's intervention, I knew that, if we didn't stand our ground, this guy was going to pull the rug from under us.

"Please, sir. It's only a courtesy call. It'll only take a few minutes at most."

"Miss, I just said -"

"It's only a few minutes, sir. Let us in."

I blinked at the sharp tone my brother had just used, making me honestly feel uncomfortable.

"Sir, I just said -"

"I don't care what you just said. If my sister says that it'll only take a few minutes at most, it will. Now open the damn gate or get your employer, so I can talk to him."

But nothing made me more uncomfortable than the next statement my brother gave, voice loud enough to be heard on the other side of the street, but still extremely even, almost controlled, as if he was about to lose his temper. I wasn't sure if he was about to or not, but damn he was scary when he wanted to.

"Sir -"

"Didn't you just hear me? I don't care, and we're not leaving until we see Kaiba Mokuba. So unless you want either man slaughter on your hands or pass all afternoon talking to us, either open the gate or get your employer. Now what the hell is your name?"

Really, really scary as the intercom caught the sound of a far away voice before it was turned off and, minutes later, the gate opened as one of the heavy doors was opened, Mokuba slowly, cautiously stepping out to greet us halfway as he tried to zip his nondescript coat over his striped shirt before looking up at us, charcoal eyes clear but glassy, almost empty.

"Sorry for the guard. I was doing homework," just like his voice. Quiet, filled with something that just brought tears to my eyes and made my lips purse as it reminded me just how important it was to open a hand, to open your mind to the situation. "May I help you?"

That was why, after a quick look to my brother that he just nodded to, I took a small step forward and tried to smile. "I just wanted to finish our introductions and say that I'm sorry I didn't come over sooner," I started, trying to control my nervousness as my eyes noticed the details.

His hair was disheveled, his coat seemed too large for his tiny frame, and he kept taking quiet gulps of hair through his nose. His aura, his soul, felt sad, like a cloudy day with a constant drizzle that made you damp before you even noticed it. He was empty, lonely, and I couldn't let it go any longer.

"It's fine, Miss Honda. I -"

That was why I interrupted him by gently holding out the bouquet, trying to smile, "These are for your brother, by the way. I know I'm two weeks late, but I guess better late than never, right?"

And watched him blink, felt something within him fight as he opened his mouth, seemingly trying to find the right words, the look going from empty to somewhat unsure.

I felt my brother reach into my bag as Mokuba stuttered, making me smile to him when I saw the soft look on his face when he held out the plastic container. He understood why I was here. He knew why Mokuba had fallen under my radar, and I couldn't be grateful enough.

"And these are for you. I'd know. She made them and insisted on coming over. Nothing I said would make her back down. By the way, I suggest leaving the chocolate chip ones for last. You're going to inhale them."

Just like I couldn't be happier when Mokuba stopped stuttering and simply held out a hand that my brother filled with the plastic container, eyes still glassy, but looking more alive than they had in the past few minutes as his lips went into a line. He didn't open the container but, from the grip he had on it, he was keeping it. He was keeping it as he mumbled a "thank you" I barely heard, but still smiled at as he tried, "My — My brother is in the hospital, though. The long term care section."

And I only nodded, "Alright then, we won't take any more of your time. Sorry for the inconvenience." before bowing with a breath that I tried to keep quiet and turning around, smiling at my brother who smirked and shook his head in amusement. That was all we could do for now. Insisting would do more bad than good.

"… Wait!"

But we still stopped mid-step at the shout, turning to Mokuba who seemed to hesitate before speaking again, "I — I can take you there, if you'd like. The chauffeur is available and I have until Monday for my homework. And I've — I've been meaning to see my brother this weekend. I — I think I can make an exception."

Which made my breath catch a little. Two choices. Two clear choices. Either I accepted immediately and seemed like a leech or — or...

… My mind was already made up.

"Are you sure? I mean, we know where to go."

"I — I'm sure. Besides, I don't think they'd let you in without me, no offense."

I looked at my brother with a laughing smile that he returned with a light scowl as I spoke, "None taken. We graciously accept."

But it just faded away the moment Mokuba gave a smile. A light smile that resembled more a smirk than anything else, but that wasn't what struck me. What hit me was the feeling with it. The genuine, happy feeling accompanying it, like he'd finally seen a light at the end of his tunnel.

For the first time in two weeks, Mokuba actually felt happy. And I couldn't be more glad.


	17. The Inner War

Returning to the place my brother had always called "the ward" was, honestly, no easy feat. Not because I had had a bad experience there, not because the nurses had been horrible or anything of the sort, but because after being there for four years, it was hard to go unnoticed.

The smiles that greeted me there were familiar, convivial. The tone the nurses used around me and my brother was informal, friendly even, making Mokuba look at us almost curiously, and I knew that the only reason he kept quiet was because it would have been impolite to ask. Not to mention that he just had to put two and two together as the nurse decided accompany us to the room, explaining to my brother in hushed tones how difficult it could be for me to face what I had been through for four years, certainly so soon after my awakening.

And yes, I was shocked. I was speechless when we got to the room and the door opened, freeing the sounds of the heart monitor and letting us see the sight of a dead-like Kaiba. It was incredibly sad to see a man of his stature lying on a bed, looking almost fragile in the white sheets and his pajamas.

But not as sad as it was to enter the empty room, finding no flowers, no decorations, nothing to indicate that anyone had visited. In fact, the only that assured me that it was Kaiba Seto's room was his presence and the deck that sat on the table, telling me that Mokuba had come here at least once before, if no one else had.

I turned to the nurse and asked him for a vase, something to put the flowers in, which he agreed to with a smile, disappearing from the room as Mokuba stepped in to go sit in the corner seat while my brother looked at me.

"You alright?" I heard him ask, making me nod.

"I'm fine. Just... feeling sorry for him. I woke up to flowers. He won't," I replied softly, glad that my brother shrugged and the nurse came back with a plastic bottle with water inside. Things like these were never far at the ward, but I'd have to remember to bring a vase or, better, make an artificial flower arrangement that would greet him when he woke up. That would be nice.

Yes, that would be extremely nice as I went to the table, glad for one thing. Save for the monitors, Kaiba didn't have anything to make sure that he stayed alive. No respirator, no tube. He would wake up and be able to speak just fine, although I didn't doubt that there was something in his throat to keep it from collapsing.

He'd be fine. I didn't know how long he'd be in a coma-like state, but he'd wake up, and he'd be alright. At least physically.

Mentally, though, was a whole other story.

His mind, his soul, I was realizing, was a mess, and not only because Yami had broken it to free the darkness inside of it. Morsels of it were scattered, far beyond his reach. Some were even frayed, falling apart at the seams like an old fabric. And, if I so much as searched for a basis, something, I got lost, skipping through the pieces and finding nothing solid, nothing that didn't give out the moment I tried to see how strong it was.

I had thought Mokuba whole and Kaiba broken. I was now realizing how wrong I was. Mokuba was broken. Kaiba was shattered. Mokuba could rebuild if given a chance. Kaiba would forever roam the world, the darkness, searching for something that he couldn't find, even after he'd found it.

The final moments of Battle City came to mind, and I finally understood his last move, his last desperate move to bring it all to an end, to bring himself to an end. He'd become the monster he'd dreaded, hurt everything he loved, and had no reason to live.

My life for his. My everything for him. I've ruined everything. If I can set it right with my last breath, so be it.

It hurt. It hurt to sense his soul, to feel the purposeful rips he'd done to try to save the one he loved, and loved dearly. To see him still tearing at himself, now wondering what it would take to set it right. He was breaking himself, shattering himself further and hoping that the answer was there, somewhere deep within.

He was angry, he was lost, he was scared.

The words left my mouth in a whisper as I brought the hand I was holding to the other, before bringing it, covered by my own, near my mouth, "Stop. Stop. You don't have to do that. Don't shatter yourself further."

And I gently set it down, now bringing my right hand to his forehead as I tried to smile, tongue tasting the salty tears I was shedding, "If you continue, Kaiba Seto, you won't be able to set things right."

I felt it stop. I felt it suddenly halt and his soul quiver as if it was feverish, but seemingly promising to not tear itself further, as if it understood my words. As if it was hearing me. I hoped it was. I sincerely hoped so as I lowered my hand, bringing to over his opened eyes, knowing that they should have been closed. Should have been shut from the world so that he could stop hurting, stop having his mind fire at a hundred miles an hour because it was trying to make sense of globs of light.

"Your brother can't be alright if you're not there, Kaiba Seto, and he can't be happy unless you are. You have to come back, and you have to come back whole. So don't tear yourself apart any further. Heal. Start over. It's alright. The world can wait. Just heal," I whispered slowly closing his eyes, and smiling when I heard him exhale. Exhale as his hand twitched, earning the sound of a chair scrapping against the floor before I looked up, seeing Mokuba standing on the other side of the bed.

The words slipped out before I could stop them, "He'll be okay. He just needs time."

"… What — what did you..."

And I just smiled at Mokuba's incomplete reply, slowly letting go of Kaiba as I heard my brother getting up, his hand going to my shoulder once he was close enough, and letting me sink my back to his front once he was behind me. I felt exhausted. I wasn't sure what I'd done myself, and whatever it was, it had exhausted me, but I recalled something, something from a book series that I had read almost religiously.

Words had power. There were many, many chains tying us down, holding us up in the web of the world. And most of those chains we couldn't touch, couldn't toy with. But words, words was one of those we could. We could hurt with it, heal with it. Actions were extremely powerful, but words, the truth spoken with confidence could influence the world.

The pen is mightier than the sword.

I took a breath, and tried to give a cohesive reply, "I was in a coma four years back, and, during that coma, something happened. I'm not sure what or why, but it enabled me to feel things that aren't exactly there and I've been... honing it in the past few weeks. I've been starting not only to pinpoint people with it, but feel their general moods or personalities."

Another breath, and my brother slowly took me to the nearest chair, making me smile gratefully before I continued, "Your brother — Your brother, he — he was tearing himself apart, Kaiba Mokuba. He doesn't like what he did, and part of him can't stand it to the point that he thinks he can't correct what he did."

The vehement cry that followed brought a smile to my face, "That's not true! He can't give up! He -"

"That's what I told him," I interrupted softly, watching Mokuba's shoulders droop. "And that's you need to remind him, too. Your brother can't do a proper job on his own. He needs someone to help him."

"… How?"

"Talk to him. Remind him that you need him and need him whole. Care for him like you've always wanted if you need to. And don't be afraid. If I understand right, he never, ever meant to hurt you. He did it because he had to."

I watched Mokuba's eyes fill with tears, and heard my brother ask if I was alright, making me nod with the answer of "Just tired." as I slumped a bit further, wanting to close my eyes and rest for a bit. I wasn't exactly sure where the exhaustion was coming from, but, from the feel of it, it was because of my own scattering. Keeping myself together as I wandered through Kaiba's soul had been difficult. The tears, I remembered, weren't just my own. They were Kaiba's too. He'd been in pain, in terrible pain, but he couldn't cry. He couldn't let himself. It was weak, would have labeled him as breakable. And, for his brother, he would be the pillar that would never break.

God, it was sad.

I felt myself get moved, and found myself on a lap a few seconds after, head on my brother's shoulder as I barely heard the sounds of Mokuba talking. To his brother, it sounded like, making me smile as closed my eyes only to reopen them after what felt like seconds later, but, from the fact that Mokuba was now sitting in the chair next to ours, I knew it had been longer. Much longer, probably, as I lifted my head from my brother's shoulder to look at Kaiba who was still on the cot.

His heart rate was slower. His eyes were still closed and his head seemed to be lolling a little to the side. His hands seemed a lot more lax, too. But what stood out was his soul, his essence that seemed to be gathering on himself, slowly, but surely, promising to piece itself together.

I felt a smile form on my face.

"Back to the land of the living?"

Before I blinked and looked up at my brother who had a crooked smile and a raised brow, making it look like he was up to something. Or had already done something I wasn't aware of. Either way, it was enough for me to lightly punch him on the chest while chuckling, "What did you do?"

"Now why would I have done anything? It was your idea to come here in the first place."

"Because I passed out. You do stuff when I pass out," I replied, not punching him again, but instead driving a finger into his sternum while he laughed.

"What? I can't talk to your new friend without you hassling me over it?"

… He'd talked to Mokuba? … Oh god, he'd talked to Mokuba. What did they talk about? Me? Oh hell. Why would they talk about me? I hadn't done anything... Had I?

"Did you two talk about me?" I asked, feeling my cheeks heat up before hastily looking at Mokuba while pointing at my brother, "Whatever he said, he's lying."

Only to hear him snort a little, covering his mouth as if to contain his laughter, making me blink. What?

"Why are you laughing?"

"Nothing," he replied, still trying to contain his chuckles, "It's just... You really are different."

… Different?

"What are you talking about?"

"You care."

I could only blink as Mokuba's hand fell away and I caught the smile. The gentle, genuine smile that I wasn't sure how to take as he continued, "You care for people you probably shouldn't care for. You're... different."

I blinked again, but it was different. It felt different as I tried to almost hide in my brother's chest as I felt my cheeks heat up for a whole different reason.

No, it wasn't that I hated compliments, or even that I felt like I was being lied to.

"I only did what I thought was right..."

It was because I turned into a freaking squeaky toy, that was why.

"I know, and I appreciate it. Thank you."

But god if I said that I didn't like the fact that he was smiling, that he finally looked like he was happy, I'd be lying.

"I'm just glad I can help," I mumbled, half hidden in my brother's shirt and feeling him poke at the side of my head, obviously trying to get me away from his chest. I wasn't moving though. Fuck that. Not while I looked like a cherry.

"Will you stop hiding? You wanted to get along with him."

I swatted my brother's hand off, hissing, "Not like this!"

But he only rolled his eyes, "You're being over dramatic. Do you want your afternoon with him or not?"

And I turned into discomfiture while Mokuba piped up, "Afternoon?" which only made it worse. I slapped my brother in the back of the head as he grinned and answered, "Only reason I'm here is to make sure she was right. She is. Now she gets what she wants."

"You are so mean," I couldn't help but add, making my brother roll his eyes again.

"How is it mean to tell him what you wanted to do in the first place?"

I just punched him in the chest before turning red when Mokuba asked, "What did you want to do?"

And refusing to move when my brother poked me again, only whining this time. Childish? I don't care. I didn't want this to happen. I knew that Mokuba wouldn't take it well. At all. But if I didn't speak up...

"She wanted to pass the afternoon with you. Said something about you being lonely in a big house with servants you rarely talk to."

My brother would. And I honestly did not know, nor did I want to know, what was more humiliating. Him telling Mokuba that this was why I'd come out here, or the fact that I knew that "my new friend" was bound to either be confused or angry and, again, I wasn't sure which was worse.

"You... want to pass the afternoon with me?"

But, apparently, I wasn't getting either one, forcing me to move myself from my brother's shirt to look at Mokuba. Mokuba who was looking confused and almost hopeful. He wanted company, he wanted to have someone around. He just didn't how to get it.

I nodded, "Yeah, I — I know that you probably... I'm sorry, it's rude. I'll just..."

"No. No. It's... okay. Thank you," I heard him say before my brother shuffled, making me look at him.

"I can give you until eight. How does that sound?" he said, and I couldn't help but smile. Eight? That gave us at least an hour. Awesome. Really. I couldn't have...

I turned to Mokuba, smiling, "Does that work with you? I can just... be there while you take care of your homework. I won't do anything to bother you, I promise."

God, if I didn't feel like a kid. Then, again, I am a kid. Fifteen years old doesn't qualify as much of an adult, even with my background. Made me glad I was young, to be honest.

"It's — It's fine. I just... don't know if you have anything to keep yourself busy with," Mokuba replied, making me take a breath, so I could answer.

"Got any games? Or books? After homework, she tends to have a book handy, or she goes into my room to play a round of Duck Hunt. Keeps her busy until mom calls her to help for dinner. What was it last night? Chicken?"

But it was my brother who did, earning him another slap behind the head which only made him chuckle, "What? You're the top of your class in home economics. You should brag."

"Shut up," I mumbled, hearing Mokuba chuckle, but eventually biting his bottom lip and looking at me with a look that I could only qualify as hopeful.

"Do you... know Monster Chess?"

I knew why. I knew why from the moment the question came out, making me smile.

"No, but I'm willing to learn."

And grin when he smiled and pulled something out from his pants pocket, getting out of his chair to show the small figurine he was holding, making my brother gently push me off to say that he was going out and Mokuba realize that we were still at the hospital. To say that he quickly rectified that by offering us a ride, then to drop my brother off to wherever he wanted when the latter said that he wasn't staying with us.

Company. Mokuba wanted it, was craving it. It was obvious with the way he was presenting his favorite game. I had come and done so at the right time.

I could only hope I proved to be a good enough friend to the boy who had none.


	18. Hoping Beyond Hope

Finds out, I didn't have to.

Mokuba, for all his education, was as nervous as I was. Sure, he gave me the grand tour of the mansion, presented me to the guards and the staff so that they would know me in case I decided to return, but he was extremely anxious about having someone over, and, honestly, wasn't sure what to do once he had me over. Homework? He didn't want me to feel lonely. Games? He was afraid that I wouldn't be able to keep up. Movies? He thought I'd get bored.

I couldn't help but smile as Mokuba tried his best to be accommodating before slowly, but surely, getting to his homework as I did mine, agreeing to a round of Capsule Monster Chess which I lost, and finally watching a superhero movie. It felt like babysitting, to be honest. Like I was taking care of a young boy and his parents were going to come home after he'd gone to sleep.

But, by the time eight o'clock hit and I heard that my brother was back, I remembered that it wasn't. This was no babysitting and there was no monetary payoff at the end, although I didn't mind that. I was there as a friend. As a person attempting to give Mokuba a brief respite from the lonely world he lived in. I was there to give that eleven-year-old a chance at being himself in a world based on appearance, something he was in terrible need of.

Best proof? The sadness that showed on his face when I started packing, the fact that he tried to buy some more time by offering us a drive home, and the way he just seemed to sink when we politely declined, making me react and giving him a promise that, I knew, I would hold onto, just so I could see him genuinely smile again.

"I can come back next Friday, if you want."

He took it. After a few blinks, asking my brother and I if it bothered us and getting a negative along with confirmation that I had enjoyed myself despite the lack of preparation, he took it and said that, next time, he'd be a lot more ready with a smile that said everything I needed to know.

Mokuba needed company. The time I was going to pass with him was not wasted, it just made things a bit more difficult.

How? Well, as much as my brother said that he'd be saving me from our parents' suspicions — a fifteen, soon to be sixteen-year-old girl should not be hanging out with a boy by herself, no matter the age — he told me that he wouldn't step in when it came to our friends. I had to deal with them, and I had to tell them the truth. He wouldn't let me walk away with anything less, and I understood why.

So I made a deal with him. I told him that, as long as I wasn't ready, we would both make it seem like we were busy on Friday afternoons. Because even if it attracted suspicion, even if I knew I owed the group the truth, I knew that someone would get angry. I knew that one of the group would take it as a personal affront, and would get seriously upset that I was trying to be nice to someone who'd tried to kill him, tried to kill us all despite the fact that said person had saved him from certain death only minutes later. Jonouchi would not take well to me taking a shine on the younger Kaiba brother.

But, as Mokuba was proving every Friday, I also knew that he didn’t deserve the anger my brother’s best friend wanted to throw into the eleven-year-old’s face. I knew that, no matter what had been done, the fact that I had tried to forgive the Kaibas for their mistake had been not only beneficial, but eye-opening.

Mokuba was nothing, absolutely nothing like the brat I’d half expected him to become. He was cautious, yes, but he did not throw me out, and he tried his best, I could tell, to make up for everything he’d done, consciously or not. Ultimately, Mokuba was good.

Which was why while I wasn’t surprised that the one of the group who asked was Jonouchi himself during his birthday party — Yuugi insisted on holding it at his place because of Jonouchi's father — I couldn’t help but be glad that he didn’t blow up as I told him the truth, giving time for Yuugi blink at me before asking, "Why?"

And I answered while picking at my piece of cake, "He's lonely. He's all alone in a big house and his brother's in the hospital. I'm sorry, Jonouchi, but... he tried to correct his mistakes. He realized he did something wrong, and he tried to correct it. I don't care if he was trying to return Yami's and your favor, Yuugi, he just... He’s trying. And if we ignore that, then we're just repeating the cycle. You said that we needed to be the better people. I think that starts with realizing that he's human, and he... doesn't know any better. Yami killed and he's still a good guy. Why not Mokuba?"

"Next thing you're gonna tell us is that the Kaiba brothers are broken?"

I pursed my lips at Jonouchi's scathing question, hesitating on how to respond before I finally did, "Mokuba is. Kaiba — Kaiba was shattered. In pieces. And he was tearing himself apart. He — He sees his life as worthless, certainly after hurting Mokuba the way he did. Yami really did him a favor, Jonouchi. I have no idea how bad of a man Gozaburo was, but if the Kaiba brothers are his legacy, then he was a horrible, horrible person, and I'm not — I don't think leaving them alone would help. How are they supposed to be better people if there's no one there to show them the way?"

And watched the blonde's shoulders drop, eyes darting for a small moment towards Yuugi, "I — I guess you're right. Just don't expect me to be all buddy-buddy with Mokuba or his brother. They still tried to kill us, and they got a lot to make up for."

Finally bringing a small smile to my face as I said, "I would never,” while I hoped, prayed that Mokuba would never, ever involve himself any further than he already would be.


	19. Bakura and the Ring

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Had one hell of a week after which I might finally have a job. I am still looking, but I'm hoping that things pan out and that I have a job by the end of October.
> 
> Other than that, I'm glad you guys are enjoying this story and I hope you guys love my introduction of Bakura and the Thief.

That hope continued well into the next month.

Life continued, habits were slowly becoming a thing again. Valentine's Day was coming up, and the female half of the school was starting to get excited, wonder what type of chocolate they wanted to make. Hell, several of them in my class alone were talking about making chocolate cakes and asking me for help so that they could dazzle their crush and, hopefully, win their hearts over. The fact that it made me want to gag didn't seem to register as they asked me, either, too taken in their fantasy to notice the world around them.

That was why I honestly felt sorry for Bakura Ryou when he finally came along.

Bakura Ryou, I remembered, looked cute. A regular heart throb with a shy personality to match, making him perfect in many girls' ideals. Combine to that Valentine's Day and a lot of the female body were suddenly trying to be as nice as possible, showing him around the school along with imagining themselves in love with him while some hoped to be selected to make him the equivalent of a piece of land they'd conquered. The disparity between people's actions and their motives was sickening, if I may be honest, and made me feel sympathy with the boy that made his introduction on Monday and was given a chance to sit with us four days later once the girls had given him a break.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Honda. I hope we get along."

Right up until Bakura was formally introduced to me.

"It's a... pleasure to meet you, too, Mr. Bakura."

Don't get me wrong, he still had my sympathy. No man, no woman, no person should be treated like property by anyone and it made me sick just thinking that people were capable of such a horrendous action. But the feel of him, the simple fact that he was next to me was making me even sicker.

Sometimes, there was disparity between what people did and what their intentions were. And, sometimes, you also had people who had intention, but no will to do the things they spoke about. Yet, even with their behavior their general aura stayed the same, felt the same as most of their actions.

But Bakura Ryou's didn't match his at all. In fact, the first thing I felt, the only thing I could feel that I knew for sure belong to the white-haired boy in front of me was pain. The pain of dealing with death, of dealing with horrors that shouldn't exist in this world, and that was supposed to make me think him strong along with the fact that he needed some kind of support to get through it. Which the group was vehemently doing by agreeing to a game of Monster World even after hearing that such a game with our new friend was dangerous — then again, the group would have agreed just to prove that someone wasn't apparently cursed — and which I would have done if I hadn't felt the smoke.

I remembered the Ring. It was hard to forget a sadistic maniac driven by revenge and the need to destroy everything. But I had thought that it would be something comparable to the Puzzle, to the beacon of energy that I still had trouble to look beyond sometimes, certainly now that Yami was working with us, with Yuugi in an almost seamless manner. I had thought that it would be something that would capture my attention, fascinate me to the point of morbid curiosity, knowing how dangerous the Thief was.

Yet, that was not what I found.

No, instead of the blinding light of energy, I found darkness. I found smoke that loved to cling to its captive like a second skin, absorbing all energy in sight and leaving wretchedness behind. I found the equivalent of a black hole that could never be sated, never be satisfied. So much wretchedness that I knew that if I could actually see the smoke, it would be thick, black, impenetrable. Only Bakura's eyes would probably be uncovered and, even then, the cloud would extend within, hiding all the things that made Bakura human, transforming him into a tool of pain and sadness to attract people's attention and sympathize or kick it should they so wish.

"… In fact, Megumi here is a psychic, and we've been helping her out with her abilities."

"Is she? Most of the psychics I have seen are frauds. Do you do readings, Megumi?"

So, if everyone was interested in Bakura Ryou, the new arrival, and were coddling him a bit, I honestly wanted to keep my distance. I didn't want to be anywhere close to the white-haired boy and questions like those only made me uncomfortable as I refused to meet Bakura's gaze as I answered, "Depends. Future, I don't really. It's not a really predictable realm as much as we would love the certainty of a tomorrow. I do read people and objects a bit, though. I had a four-year coma and woke up being able to sense people and their auras, I think. It's... weird."

Something that everyone caught on immediately as the group went silent, probably looking at each other before my brother pipped up, "You okay, Megumi?"

And I found myself pursing my lips still unable to figure what was best. Tell the truth and acknowledge the elephant in the room while hoping that Bakura doesn't react too bad to the news, or lie, let it slide and risk the entire group's safety in one go? Either way, there were risks that I had to acknowledge, and possible consequence that could spread well beyond anything I could see. After all, hadn't Death T been an absolute failure in the end? Even with my intervention?

I swallowed, looked up at my brother and spoke, "Something's wrong with Bakura."

"… Wow. And they say I lack tact."

Before I looked at Jonouchi with a light glare, recognizing the reaction. Nervousness. Not fear, nervousness. Sure, I was scared out of my wits because I knew that I was painting a target on my back if, some way or another, the Thief could hear — which I had no doubt he could — but I guess after dealing with Yami, my brother nearly getting fried, Death T-2 that should have killed me and Death T-3 which should have killed Jonouchi, you tend to accept the fact that your life is going to be dangerous for a while.

Yep, that would definitely do it, now that I think about it.

"I'm not talking about Bakura himself, Jonouchi. He seems nice enough. There's just... something around him. Smoke almost. I can't... I'm not trying to be offending, Bakura, but I can't — I can't feel you correctly. The only thing I feel is pain... and cold."

I watched Bakura shift in his seat at my reply, looking uncomfortable for a moment before opening his shirt and pulled on a brown cord hanging around his neck, bringing the Ring and its prongs into view to set it on the table, off of Bakura's neck as I kicked into high gear, feeling for the white-haired boy again.

Kind, thinking himself weak, in pain. Bakura didn't just believe in the occult out of choice, he believed in it because it was the only thing left to believe in. He missed his family, he wanted his world to return to the way it had been years back, when his sister and mother were alive, when his father still came home. But he still wanted to believe in a future where people cared, where he could have friends. Bakura finally felt human.

And the Ring felt like it was going to melt right into the table.

I gave an involuntary shiver as I heard Bakura ask, "Is this what you're feeling?" making me nod. It was nasty, it was vile, and I wanted that thing destroyed into a thousand pieces before being tossed into the ocean, never to be seen again.

"And it feels like smoke?"

I nodded again at the second question, unable to look away from the thing as I wondered one thing and one thing only. Why hadn't Shaadi tried to destroy the Ring? Did he really want the Pharaoh to go home? And was it that impossible for anyone but the Pharaoh to destroy what was in the Ring? This felt like the quest to Mordor.

"Where did you get this, Bakura?"

And Yuugi, the one currently asking Bakura a question, was Frodo.

"My father who works in Egypt as an archaeologist sent it to me as a memento and an apology for not coming home. I've been keeping it with me ever since."

"Is that when your friends started to enter comas?"

Although, as smart as I knew Frodo to be to a certain extent, I knew that Yuugi was about to trump that as Bakura blinked, "I... Yes, I — I suppose that's about the time it started."

"Any blackouts? Moments that you don't remember what happened?"

"… Yes. Near the end of every game of Monster World."

Because from the look he was giving the Ring, from the fact that he gave me a side look before continuing, he'd already made a small guess at what was inside and, knowing Yuugi, would probably try to help out Bakura by making him meet with the spirit of the Ring. Call that I couldn't stop because it meant going into complete contradiction with my earlier statement — that the future was unpredictable — and it would kill the opportunity to, hopefully, have an edge on the spirit, although I doubted that it would take us far.

"You sure you're alright?"

Hence why I was glad that my brother asked me a question again, making me look at him as Bakura put the Ring back on and I tried not grimace. I didn't like it. I really didn't.

"Can you keep an eye on Bakura? I don't — I don't think his spirit is as nice as Yami."

My brother gave Bakura a quick look before answering, "Sure thing, sis. I'll tell the rest of the group, too."

Which as enough to make me smile again, "Thanks, big brother." But unable to feel completely safe even as the bell rang, forcing us to end lunch as I gave one last look to Bakura before going to my next class. Something was off. I didn't know what, didn't know how, but something was off and it was sending my senses and my concentration haywire, making me thank the fact that I knew the material, and had the logic to follow the rest.

Because, if the teacher had asked me any question, any at all, I wouldn't have been able to answer. Hell, if class economics had been anything else than making cupcakes in honor of Valentine's Day, I probably would have screwed up horribly since I couldn't think clearly.

Something was off, and if I couldn't figure it out, then the rest of the group was in danger. The rest of the group would get something they didn't deserve and it was going to be my fault. I'd already switched Jonouchi and my brother's position — inadvertently, yes, but it was still on me — I didn't want to cause another disaster and catch someone else unaware.

Come on, Megumi, think. You were able to help Kaiba to a certain extent, you can figure this one out.

"Alright class, remember page fifty-three exercise one to four. See you next week."

… Gosh, it was already the end of class. I had to figure this out before I joined the group.

I packed slowly, trying to breathe, remember. I had to remember.

I stepped out.

"Well if it isn't the one who thinks herself smart."

And froze mid-step in the corridor, the images finally flashing through my mind. The P.E. teacher. The Thief had taken him into the game as a villager before the game with the group. And Bakura had skipped school the day after because of that. Now, we were right before. The same day. And the Thief didn't have his victim.

"You know, for a moment there, you had me scared. Thought that you'd try to imprison me. Instead, it was foolish Yuugi that gave Ryou a way to meet me."

I was his victim.

"Now, it would only be fair if I returned the favor, no? What do you think?"

Shit. Shit, shit, shit!

"So let's play a game. Keep Away, I believe it's called. You have the entirety of the school grounds. You have until the count of ten. One."

I didn't hesitate. I ran. Dumped my bag and ran. I took the nearest corridor by the time he was at five, knowing where I had to go. Lockers. I had to reach the lockers. There, I'd find Yuugi along with Yami which would, hopefully, make the Thief back off. He wouldn't attack me in plain sight, would he? Probably not. So I just had to get to the lockers and I'd be fine. I just find them and I'd be okay.

… So where the hell was I now? This could not be the way to the lockers, could it? I didn't recognize any of this. Junior's section? Not a clue, I just had to — I had to...

"Mind Doll!"

...


	20. The Value of Friendship

I half-expected to be dead again. To get flung across the multiverse into a new body and another world that I would mess up just as bad as I had with this one.

And, from the looks of things, I had. From the fact that I had been able to jump up in alarm before feeling the massive pain lay itself on me, making me groan as I laid back down, I had died and was now alive again. But hell only knew where God, or whoever was in charge, had decided to take me to. Certainly since the only thing I could hear was the fading sound of bird wings and the only thing I could feel was something cold pressing against my back as I squinted, wondering when the nurses would come in.

No nurses. Not even after lying there for who knew how long and my sight, which was finally returning, fed me something that I wasn't sure how to take. Metal. Fine metal, probably gold from the color and the sheen, was over my head in a crisscross pattern and bent over me at an odd angle, making me try to get up despite the pain radiating from my back and, on my third try, see what surrounded me.

The crisscross pattern continued around me, reaching the metallic floor beneath along with soldered to it, and, within eye height, was two metal bars touching each other with a latch. And a lock.

I wasn't dead, I was a prisoner. In a birdcage somewhere inside Zorc's castle from the looks of it, although the fact that the castle walls looked like actual brick was disconcerting, to say the last, along with the fact that the castle itself had a roof. Monster World was a tabletop game. It was on a grid and was led by the Dark Master who basically made the rules of the game and assured that they were followed, although, usually most followed the usual rules. Anything new had to be discussed with the players first.

… So why did everything look real? And why did I actually have fingers instead of the usual ball hand the miniatures had? I already knew that I had — inadvertently, might I add — saved the P.E. teacher from his own punishment since I had made a blunder ten times bigger, but nothing justified the sudden change from tabletop to near real, although I didn't miss the fact that I couldn't see the Thief's face.

Unless — Unless, and I suddenly had no doubt about it, my brother had found me. He'd found my body and was now on the warpath. He'd nearly lost his little sister once, he wouldn't — couldn't lose her twice. And, knowing the Thief, he would use that to his advantage. Anything, absolutely anything to get his hands on the Puzzle and the secrets it contained.

Which led to a larger than life world, me being turned into something so small, the best way to keep me prisoner was to put me in a birdcage, and the Thief probably gloating that he'd won before the game even started. Oh, and I also had insect wings for some reason.

Awesome.

I took a breath and released it, trying to figure out my options. First thing first, escape. I couldn't slip through the bars since they were too close to each other, and the lock wouldn't come loose without magic, picking it, or with a key, which I doubted was somewhere in the castle. So that meant that I had to, somehow, tilt the cage itself onto its side so that I could roll it out to the entrance so that the guys could find me.

… How far along were they in the game?

God, I needed to get my mind straight.

Second thing. I needed to figure out how those wings work, if they worked at all. My back was still screaming at me for wanting to stand earlier, and, even if the pain was slowly fading, the aches didn't. And one of them was located straight on the shoulder blades, promising hell if the wings I had did work. I was going to be sore, but if I did manage to put the cage on its side, then it'll all be worth it.

I could only hope it was as simple as thinking it.

I closed my eyes and tried concentrating on taking off, on actually leaving the ground, when pain radiated along my back, confirming my first thoughts. This was going to hurt. Hurt really bad as I flinched when the wings got enough strength to get me off the ground, making me realize two things. It was as easy as thinking it, and I was going to have to fight through the pain to be able to get anywhere. Just like the bad knee I used to have, I was going to have to live with it whether I liked it or not and, seeing the situation, I wasn't going to.

Definitely not going to when I reached the near top of the cage, where it just start bending to make the overhead circle, and started by trying to simply put my weight there in hopes that it would tip. The cage didn't even budge an inch, which meant that the only progress I'd made was getting into the air and, considering that I had vertigo, it meant that I was now potentially stuck there as I thought of something to get more force on the point I was on.

You know, for someone who had always wanted to fly, this was one way to discover that I wasn't exactly suited for it. I just had to... not look down. Easier said than done.

Don't panic, don't panic, don't panic — God, where was the rest of the group when I needed them?

I took a deep breath, and took in my options. I needed to somehow get more force on the side of the cage I was on, which meant ramming the thing. Not exactly the best idea, since I was going to meet the ground full force if it happened, and I was going to have to get used to the fact that the ground was going to come at me dangerously fast. Thankfully, I could close my eyes, but it was going to be extremely unpleasant a landing if it did work.

Alright, I just had to turn around, hit top speed while in the air, then hit the cage side and hope for the best.

I took a deep breath and turned to face the other side, but never got to take off as, seconds later, a large hand covered the cage, making me scream and fall off onto the metallic floor before I swiftly turned around to look at whoever had grabbed the cage. And the fact that it was two, glowing red eyes, a toothy smile that seemed to be nothing more than a row of pointy teeth than an actual grin on a black, monstrous face that met me did not reassure me at all.

Zorc Necrophades.

Shit.

"So the bait awakens. Good."

At least, according to his words, I was still bait. That meant that he needed me alive. But did that mean that the group still hadn't shown up? How much longer — !!!

He let go of the cage with a rattle, shaking me within it, but I was quick to get back on my feet and watch Zorc retreat. They had. They definitely had from the fact that Zorc was missing a hand and had number of wounds on himself. And while I didn't know the perpetrator of the wounds, I knew who was responsible for the missing appendage and I felt my breath stop along with tears starting to gather.

My brother was here. My brother was on his way. The group was on its way. They were doing all that they could to get here as fast as they could, and, with Yami at their head, they were going to make it here alive.

If ever there was a doubt in my mind that they were my friends, this would have killed it.

New plan. Escaping was no longer an option with Zorc in the room, but he would disappear soon from what I remembered, probably somewhere inside the castle to take the group by surprise. I just had to remember what happened in the castle and how I fell into that equation.

And that last fact hit me like a ton of bricks the minute I turned around, recognizing the severed, bottom part of a tower with the half of two circles on it.

A trap.

I'd been focusing so much on how to escape, on how to get to the nearest exit that I'd forgotten. Forgotten that the Dark Master considered me just another pawn in the game. As far as I knew, I was a fairy, yes, but I had no special powers. I was an NPC. Unless I claimed allegiance to the Dark Master or Yami, whom I knew was in charge of the players at this point, I was useless.

But that wouldn't stop the Thief from using me as a trap.

I felt my hands tighten into fists. I wasn't a damsel in distress. I wouldn't let myself be one. Even in my biggest moments of fear, I'd kept going. Sure, I'd gone into shock when Jonouchi had almost died, but who wouldn't? Who wouldn't go almost catatonic when you discovered that, to save your own brother, you had to switch for someone else?

But I wasn't going to be anybody's trap. Not after Death T.

I took off, and rammed the side of the cage at the highest point of its straight edge, happy to see it tilt, but angry that it didn't fall. No. No. I wouldn't bring the others to their death. I owed everyone too much already. I couldn't — The cage stopped rattling and I fell onto the metallic floor with a squeak, but glared openly at Zorc the moment I got up to face him while he simply grinned back.

"Feisty, I like that."

His statement made me half hope that I could actually rise my glowing level to actually blind him, but I would have to settle with biting down on one of the fingers he'd brought through the bars, hoping that it would translate to the Thief who thought himself bigger than he should as I watched Zorc yelp, half hoping he'd throw me and the cage across the room.

He did. With his fingers well hooked around the metal, he sent the cage flying, making it hit a wall and denting it. Not enough to get through, but, hopefully enough for me to take advantage of. Later, though, as I heard him stalking back to the cage and grabbed it again by its side, snarling, "You have no power here, girl."

I spat into his face in response.

And found myself roughly meeting the floor before I heard the cage grunt and squeal under the amount of force he was putting on it with his only hand. I was going to die. He was going to make sure that the metal pinched every nerve and every vein, killing me in the most painful way possible.

"And here I thought you'd make a good pet," and I heard it in the tone, in the smile I knew he was wearing even if I couldn't see it through the hand he was using to crush the cage. "Here I thought you'd be somewhat willing to live and entertain me while you tried to persuade your friends that they were going to die if they tried to get near you."

I felt it in the metal bars that were slowly starting to press down against me, making me choke a sob as one thought, and one thought only, haunted my mind.

I was going to break my big brother's heart.

"But you just had to have no sense of self-preservation, don't you? You just had to not care about your own life in order to save others. How pitiful you are."

I was going to die, and big brother would never forgive himself for it.

"Any last words?"

None.

"Two. Eat this!"

I blinked. And nearly recoiled as Zorc's hand left the cage to gather to his face while he shouted in pain. Who? What? Where? And, most of all, how?

No time to ask. Footfalls approached rapidly before the cage was grabbed and I passed between Zorc's legs with whoever had just saved me from certain death. Then the cage was brought to the ground again and I heard a shuffle, but I barely noticed what my apparent savior was doing as I started to try to free myself from the metal bars, unable to help the wince when my left wrist screamed in pain, making it clear that I couldn't free my hand.

I had to get free. I had to live. My big brother...

"Stop moving! I only have a few minutes to pick the lock, so don't squirm or your brother is going to kill me later."

…

I stopped moving. Went utterly still as I watched the cloaked person now crouched over the cage to pick the lock. I knew only one person that could pick locks, only one person that could and would without a single shred of remorse and doubt of what they were doing after doing it for so many years. And that person was supposed to be home, in the mansion halfway out of the city. He was supposed to be safe at home and, maybe, worrying about the fact that I hadn't shown.

But, from the fact that I could see the charcoal eyes that met mine before everything disappeared in a watery film, I knew that I had been horribly, horribly wrong.

"Don't worry, Megumi, I'll get you out of there."

So wrong that I knew that I wouldn't be able to stop the first few tears that fell as I stuttered his name before I gasped when I saw the clawed hand coming for him.

"Look out!"

He didn't turn. He didn't even give a glance. He just grabbed the cage, not bothering with the lock pick, and darted out of reach as Zorc swore and snarled, left eye bleeding out because of the dagger lodged into it.

Now Mokuba's earlier sentence made sense.

… He'd trusted me.

"Shit. Sorry, Megumi, but your freedom's gonna have to wait until the others get here."

No, don't get distracted now. You've got a ten-foot monster to deal with, Megumi. Deal with the emotional response later. For now, concentrate on not dying.

"Where are they?" I asked, trying to slow my racing heart.

"On their way. The moment we heard sounds, we just kinda... took off."

And he'd gotten here first because he was the fastest. Right.

God, come on, think! There has to be a solution. There has to be. I just had to — Who was I kidding? I was still useless in this damn cage. The fact that...

… No. Nonononono. I wasn't that — I couldn't... I was insane.

"Mokuba. Mokuba, I've got an idea!" I shouted as he narrowly avoided another claw swipe. That was way too close.

"Then get on with it!"

Oh, I wish I still had the ability to point.

"The tower! Get to the tower and get out the minute he reaches for you! And no matter what you do, don't stop running!"

"Got it!" was the last thing I heard before I was forced to close my eyes at the rush of wind. I was crazy. I was completely crazy. We were going to die. I was an idiot. Mokuba wasn't -

I heard a shout of pain before the entire world trembled and the cage slipped out of Mokuba's grasp to hit the floor. I heard nothing but screaming in the next few seconds, along with Mokuba's less than appropriate swears before the cage was grabbed again and I heard a voice that made my throat constrict.

"Megumi!"

Big brother. Big brother was here. Big -

"Big Brother!"

I knew by now that crying, certainly when you were in the middle of a fight, was not a good plan. If the earlier situation wasn't enough of an indicator, I knew that crying in a battle did not only make you seem vulnerable, it made you vulnerable. The fact that you couldn't see anything, the fact that your entire world blurred and that you couldn't hear what was happening made painted a target so big on your back, you might as well give up right then.

But, as selfish as it was, considering what I had just been through, I think I was allowed to cry on my brother's shirt after I was free from that damn cage. I think I was allowed a moment of reassurance as Mokuba joined us and started to ask if I was alright.

"Hoy! Not to break up the happy moment, but we got a Dark Master to take care of!"

Just like I knew that it was something that wouldn't last.

It wasn't over. Our job would only end when Zorc was dead and Bakura was safe. This was no time to cry or be happy. It was time to fight.

… Great thing that I had no idea what I was capable of.

This was why, specifically why, I hated the whole damsel in distress thing. They were plot devices, a prize to be won. There was nothing — A light blinded me before it fired into my brother's face, making him cough and give me a light glare that I could only return with a few blinks.

Then Yuugi shouted, "It's okay Honda! Just attack!"

And my brother let go of me to cock the hammer of his gun back before he let the shot fly, forcing me to take cover in Mokuba's hood which fell back as the six bullets hit Zorc with so much power, the castle shook and I heard some of the bricks from what probably was the ceiling fall near us while Mokuba zipped out of the way.

What the hell had just happened?

"Aw yeah!"

And why was my friend shouting like he'd just been offered cake out of the blue?

I cautiously came out of the hood and slowly stole a peek from Mokuba's shoulder, glad that, at some point, he'd decided to attach his hair. Then again, it might have been better if he hadn't.

Zorc was punctured. No holes in his body proper, but he was definitely bearing four holes on himself. Two on either arm, one on his side, and the last one on his left thigh. The rest? One had definitely exploded in Zorc's face because he was bleeding, and profusely, at that. The eye that Mokuba had stabbed shut was oozing black and part of his mouth had just been blasted off, letting us see the teeth, and the last one had definitely hit Zorc in the chest, just because of the fact that I could see part of his rib cage.

"And that's why I love enchanters."

… An enchanter. I was an enchanter, a freaking enchanter. Who had come up with that idea? And how the hell had Yuugi known? He couldn't be in communication with Yami at this distance and this deep into a Shadow Game, could he?

With the way that he attacked and called Jonouchi up when he was done, he could. He definitely, definitely could as he motioned to Mokuba, my brother and I to join them while Jonouchi deftly stabbed Zorc between his visible ribs, causing the Dark Master to roar in pain before he got up with a snarl while his trapped hand came out with a revolting ripping sound.

I was very, very glad that I had learned to deal with large amounts of gore, because this was decidedly one of the most terrifying thing I had to see.

And it didn't help when Yuugi shouted, "Brace yourselves!" and I was quickly stuffed into Mokuba's hood before I felt what I knew was my brother force my protector down and the entire world became one of pain. Hot white pain that only had me screaming until my throat was raw and my brain denied that said screams were mine.

This could not be happening. I could not have come this far and just die. This could not happen. What about Takara? What about mom? What about dad? What would they think?

The white became black, and I refused, utterly refused to accept the fact that I was probably dead. That I had left my loved ones yet again without the chance of saying goodbye. I already hadn't been able to, and I wouldn't let fate take it away again. No freaking way.

I tried to get up only to give a groan and collapse again. Everything hurt. Really, really hurt. I could only imagine how the rest of the group were dealing with this, although, from the sounds, they were doing just as well as I was. Groans of pain, people slipping back onto the ground before someone else helped them up was all I heard for the next few minutes as one idea struck me.

How were we still alive?

I knew this. I remembered this, at least in part. This was Zorc's super critical, which took out fifty hit points at least. We should have been dead, to say the least. Still, I was alive, we were alive as my brother confirmed as he came into view opening Mokuba's hood before gently collecting me, this time flinching as I gripped his arm to make sure that I didn't slip back. We were under fifty hit points each, and we were still alive.

"Everyone okay?"

Fact that was only driven home when the entire group answered with a low "Aye." at Jonouchi's question and I caught the look of absolute concentration on Yuugi's face once I was out of the hood.

We were alive. And it was due to a fluke.

I tried to get my mind to work. I tried to remember. I knew that the group would have survived anyway, but I also knew that they had to be a reason for it. Nothing, absolutely nothing happened without a reason, and I knew this one. I knew it. But I couldn't figure it out. Not until Yuugi proceeded to give the orders of the next few turns, "Anzu, you're in for a heal. Mokuba, you're passing. Megumi, you're buffing me with a speed spell. All set?"

And I couldn't help but blink at it.

Bakura. Yuugi was going for Bakura, triggering Zorc's final form and yet another Super Critical that would again...

I half-wanted to save my buff for the white mage. I half-wanted to be able to pass only to make sure that the mage would have enough strength for his barrier. Hell knew they'd cut it close in the books with only the mage, and I had not intention on letting that happen.

Couldn't. If you passed your turn, you were screwed until next one. I'd have to wait until the next turn around, after Zorc's attack to buff whoever was next, and that was if the Thief played fair. An impossible feat if I'd ever seen one.

I swallowed as Anzu healed us all, giving me enough strength to fly and direct my spell towards Yuugi who didn't wait to call his tamer glove before aiming it at Zorc's missing hand. I bit my inner lip as the white smoke came out and a hand reached for the glove before the White Mage was pulled out and brought to the ground as the entire group rushed forward, Yuugi helping him up before he gave his next orders — to my brother, this time — who took them by cocking his gun and shooting straight for Zorc's gut, leaving a hole there big enough for Mokuba to pass through.

All of that before the Thief changed the turns on us and Zorc transformed before our eyes, Mokuba's knife falling out of the bleeding eye and clattering to the ground.

Final Zorc. And the last Super Critical because the Thief had already skewered his left hand onto one of the castle's towers.

I couldn't shout fast enough.

"TAKE COVER!"

Before the entire group gathered again — I was snatched out of the air by my brother as I flew back — and I saw Bakura raising his staff before the entire world once again turned to white and pain became the only thing I could feel again.

I could only imagine how we were all going to feel by the end of this. And I could only imagine how everyone was going to take the return when they realized the price one of us was going to pay to make sure we were safe.

I got my first clue of it when the pain finally let up, and we all stood to see the weak point before Poki, the round monster that Yuugi had tamed, went straight for it, stopping Zorc from hiding it away again. The speed of Yuugi's reaction and his tamer hand punching right through Zorc while saving Poki made it clear that they wouldn't take a loss.

The second was Jonouchi who didn't hesitate to attack the second Yuugi gave him the signal, slicing Zorc in half with little to no remorse, and glaring at the upper part as it hit the ground before shouting in surprise when it lifted off the ground and Yuugi's impassive impression turned into fear as, I was sure, he discovered that everything balanced on the last throw of dice.

Zorc or Anzu. Whoever threw the closest to a super critical threw his or her attack first, and if the Dark Master landed the same number as Yami, Zorc went first.

I didn't hear the dice getting thrown. I didn't hear them clatter. But I heard the crack. I heard the Thief's dice break and his shout of anger along with the sound of a chair sliding across the ground before Yuugi gave his order to Anzu and the entire world turning white for a third and final time as the illusion, the Shadow Game tore apart at the seams, making me scream as I felt like I was being torn away from the body I had.

This was not supposed to be happening. It was not supposed to end like this. What was happening?!


	21. The Aftermath

I screamed. Almost shot up with a yell before I was held down, flinching as the person doing so shouted and a stampede of footsteps followed. I yelled and struggled at the hands holding me against whatever I was lying on, knowing, just knowing that I had to get up. My friends weren't safe, my brother wasn't safe. They needed me. They needed me!

They...

I — I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. Had the Dark Master's magic done something to me? Had the Thief really done something to me while I was in that cage? No. No, it couldn't -

"Miss Honda. Miss Honda, can you hear me?"

That... was not a voice I expected to hear.

I tried, struggled to open my eyes and found myself looking at someone that I honestly didn't know how to feel about.

I remembered that face. That chestnut hair and those green eyes, along with that smile.

"… Mrs. Takashi?"

Smile that grew, as always, at the sound of her name. A nurse. My favorite nurse. She'd been so understanding the entire time I was having flashbacks of my death, so kind during the time I had been in rehabilitation that I hadn't been able to forget her. Hell, she was the one who helped me out of the ward when it had been time to leave. But why was she here? Where was...?

I turned my head, and felt my breath catch as the hand free of any IVs lifted to my mouth. I swallowed roughly as I took in the fact that there was a bed besides mine and it wasn't anyone's bed. The brown hair attested to that.

If had needed anymore proof that I had, indeed, involved Mokuba beyond any chance of redemption, this would have clinched it.

God, as if I needed to involve anyone else into this mess.

I looked up, not really surprised to find one of the Kaiba brother's many bodyguards leaning against the wall and keeping a close eye on me. There was no doubt in my mind that he was the one who'd grabbed me before calling the nurses which had done what they do best. Gotten in, held me down, and given me something to actually stop my overreaction. The ward was anything but inefficient.

I fell back into the bed, now staring at the ceiling as my mind mulled through everything that had happened in the past few minutes. Not easy considering that I was still under the influence of a sodding sedative, but if there was one thing that I knew nurse Takashi wouldn't have done, it was force me to sleep. First time she'd done that, I'd panicked so bad, we'd come to the conclusion that it was best for me to just work it out until I fell asleep myself.

"Are you alright, Miss Honda?"

Hence why she was being extremely patient with me, thing I couldn't help but feel extremely grateful for, and only asked questions once she was sure I had established where I was, and calmed down enough to answer somewhat coherently, "I think so."

"That's good to hear, Miss Honda."

Somehow, I knew that feeling grateful for the fact that I had "woken up from a coma" four years ago wasn't something to feel guilty about.

"Can I ask what happened?" I said hesitantly, glad that she smiled.

"According to Mister Isono, you fell unconscious after pushing yourself too hard. I believe I told you to be careful, Miss Honda. At this rate, you'll never really leave this hospital," she replied with a small laugh as I gave a breath, absorbing the lie while, once again, trying to sort out my thoughts.

Chances were the group knew exactly what happened and had just finished Monster World — I wouldn't be in a hospital bed and talking with nurse Takashi otherwise — but they would take a bit longer in gathering themselves before, hopefully, making their way here. And I could only hope that they'd wait to make sure that Bakura was dealing with everything alright, certainly after discovering that the spirit he contained was nowhere as nice as Yami. The guilt riding on those shoulders would be incredibly high, certainly when one of his new friends got captured to entice a battle that could have ended with all our deaths.

If he'd somewhat embraced the Thief in the series, I sincerely doubted that Bakura would be as welcoming this time around.

What did that leave, though? What would Bakura want to do after this? Would he try to split? Hell knew that keeping that Ring close would have its advantages, but I couldn't hold Bakura in place any more than I could stop Mokuba from putting his nose in a place it hadn't belonged. It was my damn fault if the younger Kaiba brother had been there in the first place, too.

… Irony tasted sour. Very, very sour. I technically hadn’t been wrong in hoping that Mokuba wouldn't want to get involved, but I'd forgotten one important thing when it came to the Kaiba brothers. If Kaiba was the mind, Mokuba was the heart. And currently, I had no intention in finding out how far that went.

"Isono."

… ?

I lowered my gaze to the bodyguard, frowning. Who was he-?

"Yes, she is awake. Very well, Master Mokuba."

… Ah. Well, that was one way to know that the group was, indeed, alive and safe. I watched him nod for a bit, hang up and turn to me before speaking, "Your friends are safe and your brother wishes for you to rest. Master Mokuba would also like to know if you wish for anything to eat."

Which got a smile out of me, even a chuckle. It was just like my brother to worry about my health and Mokuba to try to make up for the fact that I always brought him something to eat.

That reminded me. Kaiba was going to go without his bouquet this week. I could only hope my presence was enough to make up for it.

"Miss Honda."

… Gosh, I needed to concentrate.

"Tell my brother that I will. And tell Mokuba... something light. I don't think my stomach could handle anything more than rice at the moment," I answered with a smile, feeling a hand settle itself on mine, making me look to the nurse.

"Then I'm guessing I can ask for a stronger dose?"

Only to nod at her question, "Yes. Just... make sure that it doesn't knock me out for too long. I want to see my friends."

She chuckled as she got up, "No problem, dear. Mister Isono, this way, please."

And I watched them both leave the room before turning my head towards Kaiba, freeing a breath I hadn't known myself to be holding. We were safe. Shit had hit the fan, I had made a monumental mistake — seemed like it was the only thing I was good at — and Bakura was sure to react very, very differently when it came to the Ring this time around — I honestly found that to be a good thing — but we were safe, we were alive. And that, as it was, was the biggest blessing I could ask for.


	22. From Reception to Action

There was no way this was the end, though. We might have been lucky with the fact that we'd pulled through this one just fine — and even knowing the events that should have taken place, I was surprised that we had — but there was no way this was the end. In fact, if Death T had been the beginning of the descent into hell, Monster World was nothing more than a confirmation, along with making it clear that none of us were coming out of this intact.

I just wished I’d had more time to settle into the idea that the Thief was now among us and, most definitely, a threat.

Because there’s nothing quite like waking up in the hospital, seeing that your friends were there, and thinking, knowing, that half of them were holding themselves accountable for the fact that you became a victim. There’s nothing quite like knowing that you owe two people your life, one of them whose guilt is rolling off in waves, and discovering that you won’t have the time because the next big step is already making itself known like the brick it is. And nothing, absolutely nothing could equal the dread that settled in my stomach as Mokuba asked as question that I knew was only the set up to next part.

“Megumi, was — was my brother’s deck there when you first woke up?”

There would be no time for celebration, and thanking Mokuba would be impossible.

It had to be the first time in a long time that I was at a complete loss for words. No amount of apologies, of saying that everything would be alright could make up not only for the fact that Kaiba had just lost one of his greatest treasures because of the chaos Monster World had caused, but for the fact that I had actually sped up the process somehow. Because of this, there were no longer any guarantees that Mokuba would live through the kidnapping, however long it was. There was nothing, absolutely nothing I could do or say to stop this without giving away what I knew or making someone feel even more guilty than they already did.

No, the only thing I could do was tell Mokuba that I had before answering my brother’s question positively and moving to stand only to fall against him when I did, prompting him to take me into his arm as Jonouchi neared us, disconnecting the IV once close enough, and let myself get cradled into my brother’s arms. The only thing I could do was try to figure out a way to delay the mess that promised to be even bigger than what I had previously seen.

This was too soon, too goddamn soon and I -

“It’s not your fault.”

I blinked, and looked down at the charcoal eyes that were trying their best to reassure, to smile even though it was clear, so clear, that Mokuba somehow knew what it meant, although I couldn’t figure how, what or why he knew.

The words still left my lips, though, “Huh?”

And I could only thank whatever was holy for the fact that he misinterpreted and answered with, “I might not have your powers, but I’ve seen enough guilty faces to know what to look for.”

There was still something terrifying about the fact that Mokuba not only knew guilt, but had seen it enough to recognize it on someone’s face. Eleven years old, and he already knew the way the world worked, how to extract the best or worst out of it, and he was using it to dull a pain that I honestly felt should exist.

It was my fault. Even if I hadn’t meant to cause such disaster and speed up a process that didn’t even need any speeding up, I had still been the number one cause to it. If I hadn’t talked to Mokuba during Death T, sought him out after the events because I wanted to make sure that he never felt the loneliness that had plagued my previous life, he — we wouldn’t be anywhere near this position. Hell, if I hadn’t existed, if I hadn’t decided to get involved with the story because I wanted to make sure that my brother came out somewhat normal, we wouldn’t be in this situation. All of this would have never, ever happened if I hadn’t decided to meddle with a story that wasn’t mine to begin with.

... But, if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself as I watched my brother getting sucked into the depths of a story that would scar him for life. Leaving my brother lonely knowing what I know was something that I couldn’t dare think of.

“Megumi?”

Just like I could no longer live with the knowledge that Mokuba was going to be alone after being given a chance to breathe and see that there was a better life outside of what he knew.

“I’m okay.”

“You sure?”

And, as everything, there was no telling the truth. No telling what was going on in my mind without dividing the group further. Bakura was already teetering on the edge of leaving us because of his unknowing mistake, and Mokuba was going to be leaving us for an unknown amount of time, probably abhorring feelings of resentfulness at the fact that our group was only separating him and his brother further. The risk felt too great.

But what choice did I have? Was I going to stay in my brother’s arms and cower away, or take responsibility for my actions? It was my fault. I had to do something.

... My brother was going to hate me forever for my actions.

I shook my head, and looked to my brother, asking to be put down before pleading for the group to leave me with Bakura and Mokuba, which they eventually did, although reluctantly. I hated having to do this. I hated knowing that my brother would be looking for an explanation that I couldn’t give him because this, this was going to mess with something only I could do and if the rest of the group so much as knew, they were going to be in more trouble than they should ever be.

The door closed and I settled on the floor, head low, before whispering the words, “I’m sorry.” to both of them, expecting both of them to brush it off, try to join me or get me up so that they were on the same level as I was.

They didn’t disappoint.

“What are you going on about? It’s not your fault that my brother’s deck is gone.”

“What are you sorry for? It’s not your fault I contain a malignant spirit that wants the group dead.”

And the only thing I could do was steel myself for the fact that they were about to go silent as I rose a hand, refused to get up or look up from the floor as I spoke, “I’m not sorry for anything you can think of. What I’m sorry for is the fact that I did something that I thought would help, but didn’t instead.”

I took a breath in the stunned silence taking place, wondering for a moment if they were looking at each other along with the fact that I was doing the right thing. Because if anyone, anyone find out what I was doing and why I was doing it, there would be severe consequences.

... I was going to cry before this was over. Of that, I was sure.

“As you two know, I’m a bit of a psychic. There are things that I can feel that nobody else can. And, sometimes, there are things that I can see that nobody else can,” I explained, trying to concentrate myself on my breath instead of the fact that I had finally gotten the two boys rapt attention and the fact that I was stepping not only into unknown territory, but I was blowing part of my secret. There was a reason why Bakura was here, and I knew that he would figure it out before I was done, “Hence why I’m not apologizing for things that are inevitable, that would have happened whether I had intervened or not. I won’t say that I see the future because most of what I’ve seen has been altered, but I will say that I-”

“You did things that blurred your grasp on it while some elements are kept.”

Just like he’d done now by interrupting me and continuing the moment I nodded, “Can you foresee whatever comes out of this exchange?”

Only to go silent as I shook my head and, gave one more explanation, “No. There’s many, many things that have changed since the first visions and I know that things will continue to change. This is one such example. But there are some elements that I cannot change, and the only thing I... we can do is modify the little things in hopes for a better outcome.”

“Why are you telling us this?” Mokuba interjected, making me look up at his concerned face as I felt my throat constrict. Set up, accept your mistakes. Be responsible. No matter the cost.

“Because you’re the next ones,” I answered, trying not to sound strangled as I watched Mokuba take a step back and blinking at me as if I’d grown a second head as I continued, “Bakura’s spirit has been silenced for now, but he’s too strong to be silenced forever. As for you, Mokuba, Kaiba’s troubles are far from over, and I’m sure you know that. Go — Gozaburo left traces of himself everywhere and it won’t end the moment that your brother wakes up.”

Only to watch Mokuba’s face harden and his gaze narrow, “Is that why you came? To make sure that it wouldn’t happen?”

And it hurt. It hurt to see that he just assumed the worst as I shook my head, “No, I — I, please don’t hate me, Mokuba, but I just wanted to make sure that you weren’t alone, just I’m trying to assure you now. I don’t — I couldn’t leave you to yourself knowing that you were going to face a hard time, just like I can’t leave you to suffer knowing that you are in danger. I can’t -”

“You’re doing this because you think I’m not strong enough?”

I looked at Mokuba in shock, “No! I did this because I didn’t want you to think that you were alone! I — I know what it is to live in fear, thinking that you don’t fit in. I didn’t want you to feel that. I didn’t want you to suffer more than you already have. I-”

“You wanted to give him a chance. Thing you’re trying to continue now. How and why?” before Bakura interrupted, now settling himself too, a frown on his face.

I replied as quickly as I could with, “Because I know that my brother and Yuugi are right. No one should deal with their problems alone. Not even the ones that hurt us. And you two are good. You have all this stuff thrown at you and are trying to make it right no matter the circumstances. You deserve better than the odds you were given and I’m hoping that, if I can’t set things right, I can maybe delay them long enough or give you the strength to fight.”

And watched Bakura’s eyes go wide with a blink, now scrambling to stand. I knew he’d get it. I knew he’d understand.

... There were the tears.

“It’s not that I think you’re not strong enough. It’s not that I think that you can’t fight. It’s that you’re going against impossible odds and there’s a chance you both won’t make it, at least not intact and I-”

“You’re not just a psychic. You’re a witch,” Bakura interrupted, making me stop and nod, returning my gaze to the floor.

“A witch?” I heard Mokuba question and Bakura was quick to respond.

“A psychic has powers, skills. A witch uses those skills to their fullest extent and influence the world around them through will, may it be spell or action. Megumi is the latter.”

I gave a light tremble, knowing that this was it. Either they left and said that I’d pushed my luck before telling everyone, or they understood and stayed. Everything was in their hands now.

“... Is that how you manage to help my brother?”

Or, in Mokuba’s case, he would surprise me and take the third option, which was question everything.

“All I did was sense that your brother was broken, even shattered, and when he did come back, he would be near collapse. I don’t think — I don’t think he would have thought twice about eliminating himself if he became a disappointment again. He... loves you, Mokuba, more than his own life, and he can’t — he can’t be whole without you. All I did, could do, was talk him off the ledge. Because as much as he can’t live without you, I know that you can’t live without him.”

I looked up to see Mokuba looking at the bed his brother was lying in, taking a breath before adding with a slight smile, “I wasn’t doing this for personal gain. I was doing this because I don’t want you two anymore hurt than you already are. You deserve better than you got, Mokuba, and if I can do anything to make your lives better, I will.”

Before turning to Bakura, smile fading, “Just like I want to do for you. The spirit of the Ring has gone silent for now, but I think we both know that he won’t stay quiet for long. It’s only a temporary knock out, and I doubt that he’ll be anymore willing to be cooperative when he returns if the fact that he was manipulating portions of your soul to make you seem like you were in constant pain and begging for attention is anything to go by.”

“What do you propose?” he questioned, making me put the inside of my arm on display, and tracing a vein as I answered.

“The only thing I can offer.”

Only to watch him panic, “You — You can’t. You can’t be thinking about-”

That I interrupted with a calm, even tone, “Using blood magic? Yes. It’s the only thing that can hold him at bay. He’s strong, Bakura, certainly if he’s anything as strong as Yami. Will and a simple spell will not be enough. We need to be sure it works, and it’s the only thing that I know will.”

I watched him shake as he replied, “You intend on telling the rest of the group?”

And shook my head in answer, “No. This stays between us. My brother was already — was already bothered that Yami made me his designated person in case he came out and Yuugi couldn’t stay up, I don’t want him to panic at the fact that I’m willingly putting myself in danger because I made mistakes.”

“You realize that, once they know, they are going to be angry, right?” before looking at Mokuba who’d just spoken, still looking at his brother. “Hiding stuff from them isn’t exactly the thing to do.”

Forcing me to take a breath as I replied, “Better do it and ask for forgiveness than ask for permission.”

To which he met my gaze, taking a breath himself, “I said that you were different. I don’t think I realized by how much. You really... didn’t think of yourself once, did you?”

I gave a small smile, “Eventually? I know that you’re a good person, Mokuba. I realized that today especially. Thank you, by the way, for coming to my rescue. I didn’t think you would.”

And watched him swallow, looking away again, but sitting down, “I thought you a friend and you made it easy to deal with my brother’s coma. I — I thought I’d return the favor.”

“I’m sorry I deceived you,” I tried, and heard him take a breath.

“You didn’t. You wanted to make me feel better. You did,” he said, tone sharp before it lowered as he continued, “I was just hoping you’d be a friend.”

And the tears prickled. I hadn’t wanted to hurt him, still didn’t want to. And knowing how caring he was, how fun he could be, I couldn’t just...

“I’m willing. You’re good, Mokuba, and I don’t think I realize how good. I just hope that my mistake wasn’t too big and hope that you can understand how I view things,” I said with a light tremble, trying to swallow the lump in my throat. Ultimately, it wasn’t up to me. It was up to Mokuba.

“... Will you stay even when I’m not in danger?”

And it made me realize something that I hadn’t thought of until now.

The aftermath. After everything was done, after everything was over, what was going to happen? How was life going to resume? Was there something after all of this? Mokuba thought so.

“As long as I’m not a hindrance, yes.”

And, from the smile he gave me, he believed in it as hard as stone.

“Then I’ll make sure you don’t become one.”

So much, that I couldn’t help but hug him.

Fuck proper Japanese behavior. Fuck not touching someone without asking for their permission first. Mokuba was good. Too good. And he did not deserve the future his past was going to give him.

The whispered “thank you” I gave him was nowhere near the promise I made myself to make sure that he’s safe, secure. His kidnapping would not go silently, not this time.

But that wasn’t the only problem, now, was it?

I slowly let go of Mokuba who brushed off my apologies with a laugh before looking at Bakura. He still looked shaken, even upset. He didn’t like the fact that this wasn’t going to be shared, and he knew how much I was putting on the line. But, with no other option, I was almost certain that he would fold.

“Bakura?”

“You’re insane, Megumi. Do you realize what you’re doing?”

I took a breath, trying to dry my tears, “Insanity is doing the same thing twice and expecting different results. I wouldn’t be proposing blood magic if I had any other options. You’re a friend, Bakura, and I don’t want to lose you.”

“You’re putting yourself in danger. The spirit will hate you,” he insisted.

“I’m already in danger if you haven’t noticed. He went straight for me when he realized that I could feel him. You think he’s going to stop chasing me just because he managed to capture me once? I’ll be able to tell when he comes back out, and he knows that. So might as well,” I explained, not missing the fact that Mokuba blinked in surprise. They hadn’t shared that tidbit with him, apparently.

“But, Megumi-”

“The group has more than enough on their plate, Bakura. Yami can only fight him as he comes out and I’d rather not have you struggle between what’s real and what’s not. The spirit of the Ring will use you. He already has. And I don’t want you going paranoid over the fact that he’s right there, ready to come out at any time. You really think he’ll be nice when he comes back, Bakura? Because he will hate you as much as he will hate me. And he won’t kill you. He can’t. But he can sure make you wish you were,” I interjected, and watched him hesitate. He obviously didn’t want to drag anyone else into his problems, and that was exactly why I was offering. No one should fight their demons alone.

So I continued, “Whether you accept or not, Bakura, he can and will come for me. I am on Yami’s side and the moment the Ring gains in power, I will warn him. So the spirit has nowhere to hide while I’m alive, and he knows that. He knows that very, very well. What do you think he’s going to do the moment he’s given a chance?”

Only to hear Mokuba swallow as he answered, “Kill.”

To which I nodded, “Exactly. So I’d be stupid not to take more precautions myself along with making sure that he doesn’t drive you nuts. Please, Bakura. Let me help you and help myself. I can help you and I’m not enough of an idiot to think I stand a chance against an ancient spirit, but I can at least stack the deck in our favor.”

And I watched Bakura tremble in fear, closing his eyes as he did so, before bringing a hand to his mouth. He didn’t like it. He didn’t like it at all. But I was cutting off his options, and he was realizing what little chance he had of living a normal life without my offer.

In fact, it was written all over his face when he looked at me, frowning, “I hope you realize the mess you’re throwing yourself in, Megumi. Blood magic-”

“I know,” I said with a nod, but he continued.

“You’re hiding from everyone. From your own brother. He won’t forgive you easily. Neither will the rest of your friends. You’re playing a dangerous game.”

“I know. But I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t think it worth it.”

He gave another tremble, “How far are you willing to go to help those you care for, Megumi?”

But I just gave a reassuring smile, “As far as it takes, Bakura. As far as it takes.”


	23. Karma

He accepted.

After my words and the fact that Mokuba supported my decision, Bakura gave in and accepted the blood seal that I offered him on Monday morning along with the promise to follow my instructions when it came to keeping it close to himself and to not tell the group about it. Hell, he even managed to hide it from Yami, leading to a violent conversation with the man that same Friday as Mokuba did his best to entertain the group, forcing my brother to react and hold the spirit at bay as I told them both that I had done nothing that would lead to disastrous consequences while asking them to trust me, thing that Anzu supported me with and made Yami back off with a look that reminded me of something I’d almost forgot.

He might have been a spirit, an immaterial soul, but he was still a soul. He still had memories. Yes, they were lost for everyone, even himself, but the feeling, the emotion tied to a memory would always remain. And I wasn’t the only one who was willing, had been willing to sacrifice everything to make sure that those they cared for remained alive and well. I wasn’t the only one to put myself as the first line to cross to reach the one who could, hopefully, defeat whatever was trying to destroy they loved. In fact, in the Pharaoh’s eyes, I was the second.

Mahaado was the first.

Mahaado, the soul magician and the carrier of the Ring, had been the first to make the ultimate sacrifice in order to save his King, prompting the latter to do the same for his people. The man that had become the Black Magician, the eternal servant to the Pharaoh by binding himself to the King’s soul and spirit, had given everything to everyone he cared for as a show of loyalty and dedication.

And the only thing I was doing was following in his footsteps by doing what I was doing. In fact, I was going just as far as the kidnapping happened and I steeled myself, making sure that my magic was holding only to realize yet another thing that I had forgotten.

There weren’t two victims, there were three.

The video Pegasus sent and his victory hit me like a slap in the face. The fact that I had forgotten that Yuugi’s grandfather was going to go through hell again was something that had me act faster than even my own mind could assess. And the pain that came from the fact that I tried to protect Mr. Mutou from his fate was something that I was certain to never forget until the day I died.

So much so, that when I woke up in the hospital, I had to wonder why the hell I wasn’t dead.

Don’t get me wrong, I had had my moments. Questioning my existence had led to instances where I’d been hanging on by a thread, reminding me how fragile my current situation was and how careful I had to be. Just as much as my brother tear filled face was when I’d finally wake, it was a reminder that I was here by a miracle and I couldn’t question said miracle.

But the pain, the excruciating pain that I had felt was worse than the one I had felt during my previous death, and if I had questioned how the hell I was alive after clearly dying four years back, I wasn’t about to let this one go, either, certainly when I woke up and nothing had changed.

My brother was in a chair, sleeping. His cellphone was on the nightstand, making it clear that he’d called our parents and that he was staying overnight, if only to make sure that I’d wake up. I was still alive. I was still Megumi. And I had hurt my brother once again without even wanting to.

If ever there was a moment in my life in which guilt should have been present, it was this one.

I had known that keeping secrets wasn’t a good plan. I had known that, at some point, I was going to pay for what I’d done. I’d just hoped it would have no repercussion on my brother or the group. I’d just hoped that most of the payment in the exchange would land on me, and that no one would feel what I had done.

I was wrong. I was oh so wrong.

“Big brother.”

And figuring out how wrong I’d been didn’t come from the fact that I was in a hospital bed, or even hooked up to machines that monitored my every move. Hell, it didn’t even hit me as I reached for my brother, realizing that he wasn’t answering for whatever reason.

“Big brother.”

It came when I finally gripped his limp, cold hand. Came as I jerked back while my brother suddenly got up and his eyes opened, revealing themselves empty to me and forcing me to bring my powers into alert, noticing that my brother, the one who’d always been by my side, was not there. Not at the moment. Something, someone else had taken over, and was using him as a puppet.

I’d fucked up. I’d fucked up something bad.

“For a child between life and death, you have poor talent.”

And I was about to pay the ultimate price for it.

“Let him go.”

“But you are still smart. Good. Might not explain the idiocy of your error, but it is reassuring.”

“Let him go!”

“I was hoping you would be more cooperative by talking to your brother.”

“You thought wrong, you fucking bastard, now let him go before I get up and rip you to shreds!”

“How can you when you’re still searching for me?”

Because to call the man that was now making my brother sit and resume his apparent sleeping. To actually get the man who came out of the shadows as if he’d always belonged there, I had to be a complete fool.

“Honda Megumi, I presume. I must say, I am not impressed.”

“Fuck you, Shaadi.”

But it wouldn’t stop me from insulting the blue-eyed man that had just abducted my brother’s conscience and stuffed in something that didn’t belong there. No matter which unholy power he used, I was not going down, not without a fight. I had worked too hard, too much, to simply give in and sacrifice myself to Ammit. I would leave my brother, my family, to cry. I would leave Bakura to deal with the Thief alone. And hell only knew how Mokuba would take the fact that I wasn’t there when he was saved.

So no overly powerful and calm bastard was taking me away from any of this. And if he thought that he was scaring me as he approached and put down the Scale on the nightstand, he had another thing coming.

“I see that you have spunk along with knowledge. Is it to compensate for your lack of control?”

Unfortunately, if dealing with Zorc Necrophades was as easy as riling him up and spitting on his face when given a chance, Shaadi was not as easy to deal with. Zorc reveled in chaos, making his own nature fueled by emotions and anger. That made him extremely susceptible to any rebellious acts and violence. He answered well, extremely well to it, making him easy to manipulate.

Shaadi, on the other hand, was governed by order. Rationality and logic were the Spirit of the Stone’s domain, making any attempt at chaos already thwarted. Spitting in his face? He would wipe it off and call me a child. Call him out and say that I could see right through him? He was simply going to stare impassively, waiting for what I so clearly saw. There was a reason he created illusions and made mind games. He was a master in the realm of the mind.

And to actually stand a chance, I had to think the same way.

“I don’t suppose you intend on calming down?”

If I wanted to show him that I was someone to contend with, I had to remember the way Yami had ultimately won Shaadi's game of the mind, and remind myself that, just like Zorc, Shaadi was not above killing. He might be a little less enthusiastic about it, but if it brought justice, he was going to do it, no matter whom it hurt.

So I had to think my way through this, figure out a way that he’d keep me alive while, at the same time, not putting myself under his thumb.

... Yeah, good luck with that.

Of all the rotten things that could have happened, why him?

“What do you want, Shaadi?”

“For you to calm, first and foremost. You seem on edge.”

And why was he trying to lure me into a false sense of security?

“And you think I don’t know why you’re here? You think I don’t know what you’re capable of?” Either way, I wasn’t taking it. I hadn’t taken anything lying down before and I wasn’t about to start. He was threatening the mental stability of not only one, but three people, and one of them was right in this room, unable to do anything but fight in a corner of his mind. “I don’t only know your name, H-”

And, like he just proved by stopping me with a light choke at the name he obviously did not want revealed, he was not about to give my brother his mind back as long as he was in the room.

It was me against the Spirit of the Stone, and I honestly would have preferred to deal with the Thief any other day than Shaadi for another ten minutes.

“If you wish to get a rise out of me, know that you will gain nothing out of it. You might know much, but your knowledge will not serve you if you lay cold on this bed.” Or another half hour as he sat in a chair that I had not seen until then. Using magic right under my nose, he was establishing superiority and I knew it. “And your assumptions will not lead you anywhere, either. Am I right in presuming that you believe I am here to punish you for a deed I don’t know about?”

Didn’t help that he was three steps ahead of me. He knew what I was thinking. Whether it be thanks to the Key or the fact that he could actually tell through my soul that was sure to be on display — if he could contain himself to the point where I couldn’t even tell that he was there, the same couldn’t be said for me — he knew a lot more than I probably did, and I was fighting a losing battle. Whatever he was after, he was going to get it, and I could only struggle while he dragged me down.

“Why don’t you tell me?”

I thought I was done with the tears after that meeting with Mokuba and Bakura. Finds out I wasn’t.

“I’d prefer to know what you think you’ve done to warrant such a fighting stance. I’m guessing it has to do with your latest actions.”

Then again, anger might be explosive, but it never lasted long. Along with that, it would get me nowhere. Just like the pleads that now threatened to come out. Shaadi would not listen. He hadn’t even listened to that museum curator or the archaeologist, for goodness sake.

He got up again, walking close as he spoke, “From what I feel, you have developed your skills to a good amount through practice. You also know what you are, what you are capable of, and aren’t afraid to use it if the situation calls for it.” He picked up my left hand, studying my middle finger as he continued, “Hence your dabbling in now forbidden magic along with tying yourself to someone who holds something stronger than what you can control.” He let go of my hand, looking at me critically, “But it does not explain why you live between life and death along with the fact that you put a rip into your own soul.”

And I felt my heart stop. I felt my breath catch and my body force itself to sit as a whisper left my lips, “What?”

Only to watch him subtly tilt his head, “Surely you’ve noticed that your soul has a gaping hole in it. Or have you been too busy looking out for others?”

Making me look away, to the sheets as I brought a hand to my heart. I was wrong? He wasn’t here to — What the hell had happened?

“So you hadn’t noticed. How strange of you. Then again, the rip is recent. Unlike your attempts at magic. Tell me, do you always forget yourself when you try to help someone?”

I couldn’t answer. How could I? Nothing made sense. Yes, my brother was there. Yes, I had kept secrets, but Shaadi, as he was making obvious, was not here to punish or even hurt as a reminder to never fool with powers beyond one’s control. He was here to question, to ensure something that was currently out of my reach. None of my assumptions when it came to the Spirit of the Stone was right.

So what the hell had called him here in the first place? And should I admit my fault? He’d apparently seen it already, so was there a point?

“Calming down?” I heard him ask, prompting my own questions.

“Why are you here? If I haven’t done anything wrong, so why? You’re a disciple of Anubis and-”

“You know that it isn’t my only duty,” he interrupted as he sat again, smoothing out his clothes and looking at me once done, “You were ready to spill out my name as if it were a weapon. Do not tell me that you do not know my full purpose.”

Only to be hit by how little I actually knew. I had been hit by surprises left and right since Death T — hell, since Hirutani — and I was realizing that the deeper I dug, the less I actually knew. Fate, I knew, had played a big part in the actual story, along with the Gambit Roulette that the Thief had put into motion as soon as Duelist Kingdom, but with the fact that I was now thwarting all attempts of the Thief with the blood seal, I didn’t exactly realize how deep this ran. There was more to this than what met the eye, and I was only starting to uncover it.

The thought was terrifying.

“You’re afraid.”

And the fact that Shaadi was now bringing it to light did not help, either.

I trembled, remembering that I was supposed to give him resistance, rebel against the fact that he was supposed to drag me to Ammit because I had meddled with something that I shouldn’t have. I couldn’t. Not anymore.

“Yes. And I was wrong. I’m... sorry.”

Because I was wrong. I had been assuming something completely different, and, now, I had to put my mind in order.

He wasn’t here to punish or kill. He was here to question. And, no matter how strange it felt, I knew that I had to accept that reality. The reality in which my errors didn’t lead to punishment, but my own brand of pain. There was no way to explain the fact that I had a rip in my soul and the fact that I remembered trying to protect Yuugi’s grandfather before waking up in this bed with Shaadi waiting for me. The rip was self-inflicted by my want to protect and Yuugi -

No, not Yuugi. Yami. The Pharaoh. Mahaado and his sacrifice. I — shit.

I looked up at Shaadi, “You’re not here for me. You’re here for the Pharaoh.”

Before watching the ghost of a smile form on the spirit’s face, “So you have the knowledge. Good.”

... Good God. Good fucking God. How wrong had I been? How wrong could I be? I had assumed that I had made an abuse of power somewhere and Shaadi — Instead he was here because I’d hurt the Pharaoh at the very core. I was triggering memories that he shouldn’t be dealing with. How much of an idiot could I be?

“Realizing what you’ve done?”

“Yes, I — I think. I’m sorry, Shaadi, I didn’t mean -”

“It’s too late, now. What is done is done. Just like the gap in your soul, it is something that must be lived with and not dealt with. I must say, though, I did not expect a child to leave such an impact. But, then again, you’re not a child, are you?”

Yes, how much of an idiot could I be not to realize that, by trying to make sure that everyone came out of this somewhat intact — I wasn’t blind to the fact that we would all deal with severe post-traumatic stress disorder — I was going to shake the very foundations that held everything together? Karma was going to catch up with me at some point, and it just had. Shaadi didn’t have to do anything either. I was doing everything to myself by myself, and the rip in my soul was just that. Karmic justice.

I was such an idiot.

“No, I’m not.”

And hiding behind lies in front of the one that stood for justice was not going to get me anywhere.

“Yet I do not remember hearing of you until the Pharaoh mentioned you. Why is that?”

“I wasn’t here before that.”

“But you know of the past because...?”

But coming clean was not easy.

“I’m not from here.”

“I know. That does not answer my question.”

Not easy at all.

“It’s complicated, alright? I don’t even know why I landed here in the first place -”

“And yet you meddle?”

And Shaadi wasn’t helping.

I glared, motioning to my brother, “You try not to when you know that your own brother is going to be thrown into something that’ll give him nightmares for years! You really think that I’m going to sit idly and watch him throw himself into danger while I know what he’s going through? Not to mention that there’s not just him, but his friends that are going to be in lethal danger. Sure, they made it out just fine, but do you know how many scars and trauma they are dealing with? They’re teenagers, Shaadi, teenagers! I’m supposed to be an adult and I’m still dealing with nightmares and flashbacks. You want children to save the world on their own?”

Before taking a breath, and hissing out the rest, “I know what happens because I saw it. Doesn’t matter how or when, I saw it. I died and carried that knowledge with me to here. Why? I don’t know and I no longer care. Because that boy that you’re holding under the Key’s spell is my brother. My older brother. And if you think I’m just going to sit and watch while they save the world at the cost of their lives or their sanity, then you’ve got another thing coming, Shaadi. I might not be the smartest tool in the shed, but I’d rather die than watch any of them destroy themselves because of a past left unresolved. So if I have to step in and clean up your mess, I will. And I dare you to try and stop me.”

But if the Spirit of the Stone registered any of my words, he didn’t make it clear as he looked at me, gaze unblinking and seemingly searching for something as he listened. Shaadi, I was realizing, was hard to judge. No soul or aura, not even a trace of emotion on his face even as he got up and made his way to the bed before breaching my personal space to stare at me with the same searching look that I returned as best I could. Whatever he was trying to do, intimidate or question me without a sound, I wouldn’t flinch. I’d made a mess of things. I accepted the fact that I had ripped my soul as an unknowing price to everything I had done so far. But I was unwilling to give anything a chance to rip those I cared for.

“You cannot do it alone.”

I narrowed my eyes at the statement, “And I care why?”

Before hearing Shaadi sigh and pull away, shaking his head, “Such a soul, and yet you prefer meddling with things that do not concern you.”

I opened my mouth to speak, but he stopped me before I could say anything, “I was hoping to avoid this, but you give me no other choice. You, Honda Megumi, will fall under my surveillance.”

Making me sputter questions and curses. He couldn’t do that! Surely, he couldn’t!

“I cannot stop you in your mad quest to protect everyone, but you still fail to recognize how important some things are. Until then, you fall under my eye. And if you intend on making yourself a warrior, then you will bend to my rules.”

... He could.

I gritted my teeth. My price, my punishment. If I didn’t accept it, hell only knew how I was going to pay for it later and I had no intention on letting my brother, Mokuba, or Bakura to suffer alone. Not yet.

“Fine,” I said, watching him nod as I did.

“Good. I’m sure those you protect will thank you. I will see you tomorrow night, Honda Megumi. And I suggest you don’t share this with anyone.”

Before he faded into darkness and I heard my brother shuffle and groan, waving around as if to chase away a bug.

Another secret. How many was I going to have to carry to my grave? And how much was it going to hurt my brother when he realized that I’d broken his trust?

I’d fucked up. I’d fucked up badly. And I was just starting to realize how much as I watched my brother actually wake up and jerk out of his chair when he saw me awake.

Duelist Kingdom was not going to go well.


	24. Building Courage

“She’s not going!”

“Honda, you’re not being fair!”

No, Duelist Kingdom was not going to go well. Not going to go well at all. Because as much as we were supposed to be talking strategy, how to deal with Pegasus and what the island would entail, we... they were arguing over the fact that I was better off staying home. They argued over the fact that I was no longer fit to join them as I stared ahead, knowing that I should be ticked off, knowing that I should be standing up for myself and confirm that I was a part of the team.

“She almost died because of Pegasus, Anzu! You think I’m going to drag her to the place where the guy lives?!”

“That was an accident, Honda, and we both know it! And weren’t you the one who said that we were going to be going into whatever involved the Puzzle as a team?”

So why was I unable to? Why was I just standing there and taking the fact that my brother was officially locking me out of anything when I knew that I couldn’t let myself get kicked out?

“She’s just passed her entire weekend bedridden, and she’s paler than she’s ever been, Anzu! You want to drag a sick girl through something worse than the time she was attacked by the Spirit of the Ring?!”

Because of the same man who was talking about the fact that I was “sick” and had been all weekend. Because of what he’d said and what he’d done, and how stupid I was.

The look on his face when he’d woken up after Shaadi's departure hadn’t just been relief. There had been more fear in there than I could ever describe, and he’d been quick to share it. He was scared, terrified at how close I’d gotten to death again, telling me that I’d done enough, that he could no longer stand the fact that I was constantly putting myself in danger for the sake of the group and its outer members. He asked, pleaded for me to stop as tears stained the bed-sheets, forcing me to give an answer that I was not proud of.

Okay.

Okay, I would stop. Okay, I would no longer involve myself with the group and the Puzzle or the Ring. Okay, I would just be the little sister that he didn’t have to lose because of everything she did and everything it brought.

Okay.

I had just given away my right to defend myself and the ones I had been so adamant in defending in just a single word.

Not that the rest of the group knew. Not that any of them knew of the crippling acceptance I had given. And, because of that, Anzu was still vehemently defending me in hopes that I would kick up a fuss. Bakura, although quiet, clearly supported me in the fact that he kept telling me that he was sorry for not being able to stand up to my brother for fear to break his promise about the blood seal. And Yuugi, dear, sweetheart Yuugi, was doing his best in trying to convince an upset Yami that I was still relevant.

Only Jonouchi agreed to the fact that I should stay home, and became even more pressing as his sister’s letter came in, reminding me that out of the entire group, Jonouchi knew better than anyone what it felt like to be responsible for a sick little sister. Only difference was that Shizuka wasn’t involved with the Items, not yet. I already was. And I was in too deep to even say “okay” to my brother.

I still had, and I was a dumbass for it. A right freaking dumbass for thinking that “okay” would change everything, would make everything better. That this “okay” was going to take away the blood seal that I had given to Bakura in hopes of protecting him and myself from the rage of the Ring. That this “okay” was going to magically fix the fact that Mokuba was probably waiting for me on the island, and that he wouldn’t ask where I was if I didn’t show.

In fact, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say I’d wanted the cake and to eat it too.

Oh who was I kidding? I knew better. I knew better, and I was still a freaking coward and I knew it. I was hiding from my mistakes with inaction. I was shielding myself from the bomb that I knew was due to blow by saying that I was alright with setting my weapon down and letting the group take the rap. I’d set the trap, I’d made my goddamn bed as Shaadi's warning had made so clear and no amount of stalling in the world was going to save me or my friends when it blew up.

I’d sown the seeds of chaos. I was now reaping the consequences of my actions.

... I wanted Mokuba.

He’d made everything seem so easy, so simple. He’d been loyal, supportive, and, even when I showed that I had deceived him, he’d been willing to try to understand why. He’d given me a second chance and had been unwilling to let go even as he predicted his own disappearance, calling me three days before his capture. And, knowing, Mokuba, he would have had a plan by now.

But, instead, all I had was myself. Myself and a man who was seeing the situation degrade, but wasn’t willing to do anything about it. Nothing was going to happen until I crawled out of my hole and faced the consequences of my actions. Until I accepted that I’d not only destroyed whatever foundation I had been building on and that I couldn’t fix this by stepping back. As Shaadi had so eloquently put, it was something I could only live with.

So I needed to get myself out of this funk and tell my brother that I couldn’t walk away, that I wanted to go.

And for that, I had to build courage I didn’t have. Courage that I had no idea how to get, but, hopefully, would start by talking to the man who’d been showing up every evening in my room for the past three days.

Shaadi had been taking my silence alright, and it was my way to object to his presence. It was my way to make it seem like life had resumed as normal, even though I knew that after a rip in my soul, things would never be the same. It was childish, it was selfish, but it was all I had left to defend myself from the man who seemed to enjoy the fact that his opposite in all but soul was destroying herself because of the mistakes she’d made.

... If this was going to be the general atmosphere of Duelist Kingdom, I did not want to see how Battle City went.

I threw my bag into my room, knowing that it wouldn’t help, but would thankfully get my brother off my back as I slammed my door close and settled on my bed, burying my face in my hands as I tried to figure out what the hell I was going to do for the third time that week, and knowing, just knowing, that the only way out was to talk to my brother about me going to Duelist Kingdom.

It was not going to be a pleasant conversation.

“Am I right in guessing that you have had an awful day once again?”

But when talking to Shaadi felt like taking cacti pins out of one’s face, I don’t think things can get any worse.

“Is this why you don’t intervene? Because you know that any change will lead to disastrous consequences?”

“Ah. You speak.”

Definitely couldn’t get any worse.

“Just answer the damn question, Shaadi.”

“But impatient as always, I see. I do not mess with fate for I have my own, and it will call to me when it is in need of me. Does that answer your inquiry?”

“Not really.”

“And I am guessing that is because you are asking for a potential solution to the problem you have created for yourself.”

Certainly when Shaadi's answers were on point, as always, leading me to give him an offending gesture that he only stared at before answering, “That is not an appropriate response for a young woman.”

And I only flopped into my bed, looking at him with a bored look, telling him, “And I care why?” while wondering why I was having this conversation. Wondering why the hell I was talking to Shaadi when he would be of no help. He was only here to make sure that I was monitored and didn’t accidentally kill myself by tearing my soul even more apart, making the Pharaoh cry and, possibly, remember a past he wasn’t supposed to remember until the end. What the hell would I gain by talking to the master of stone faces?

“Maybe you don’t, but I must say that I am quite surprised at the violence you show me while you try to behave for your friends. Am I to be used as your exit every time you mock something up?”

... Well, that was one reason.

I fell silent, took a breath, and stared at the ceiling. I was being a brat. I was being such a brat. I was trying so hard to please everyone, be everyone’s favorite friend that I was setting myself aside for them, making me angry and disappointed in myself. And while I was the one collecting the rap of my fixes, Shaadi was the one collecting my anger.

Because trying to fix your mistakes was a whole lot easier than living with the consequences they caused.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, but knowing that he would hear. Even as he approached the desk and took to the chair there, I knew he’d heard me as I continued, louder this time, “It’s just feel like everything is impossible. I tried so hard, too hard maybe, to help the ones around me and in exchange-”

“In exchange, they are trying to do the same for you in a way that will hurt more than heal.”

Only to bite my lip at his interruption. He was right, as always. I had set a poor example, one that the group was following. They didn’t know better because they had no idea what was coming and I had gone out of my way to help everyone at the cost of everything. In fact, I don’t think that I had even once, considered what it would cost to do everything I was doing, and now that I was seeing it, I was afraid of making another mistake that would cost a life.

Because as the fact that Yuugi's grandfather being in the hospital, people’s souls were now on the line. It was no longer about avoiding someone getting hurt, it was about avoiding someone from getting killed. And the rip in my soul made that all too real.

“Having second thoughts?”

Shaadi had no idea how close to the truth he was, and the truth of the “okay” I’d given.

Someone else deal with the mess. This was getting too real, too fast, and I couldn’t deal. I could no longer deal with the pressure, the pain and the fact that I could not do anything right. Someone straighten up the mess I made, I am not qualified and I’m scared of what is to come.

I was letting my brother deal with the mess I made and that was not fair on my part.

I gave a nod to Shaadi, taking a shaky breath before speaking, “I started this with the best of intentions, you know? I mean, sure my first involvement was because I got ticked at a presumed psychic who needed to be taught a lesson — hell knows that messing with forces beyond your control for self-gain is like insulting a person with a gun and wondering why the hell you got shot — but I wanted to help. I still want to. But this — this is getting too goddamn real. This is — This is not the fight I’d thought it would be. It’s a war. Everything — Everything is fighting against us constantly, and all my attempts are being thwarted. All I want to do is help out, make sure that everyone knows that they are not alone, but I — I’m... I don’t know if what I’m doing is right, or even helping for that matter. I mean, sure, I gave Mokuba hope, but what’s hope worth when you’re fighting against demons and spirits?”

“It can be worth more than you think it does.”

I gave a bitter laugh at his response, “Hope is not going to help against my brother. Nor will it be of any help against Pegasus. You’re the one who gave him the eye, Shaadi. You know better than anyone how warped Pegasus’s mind became and how obsessed he is with bringing back his fiancée. He doesn’t care what and who it costs to do such a thing, he will do it no matter what.”

“And how is that any different from what you have done?” Only to fall into silence, feeling like I’d been stabbed as he rose from his chair and continued, “You were ready to risk your life and many others in order to protect your circle of friends just three days ago. You seemed even ready to kill me if necessary. What changed? Has it really just become too real and you’ve realized how little difference between you and Pegasus there is? What is causing your hesitance? Don’t tell me that fear has finally caught up with you and you don’t want to die or kill?”

... Talk about hitting home.

I only nodded. Gave a small, almost terrified nod and watched Shaadi sigh and shake his head as part of me screamed to tell him to deal with it in my stead. He was more qualified, he had the power that I didn’t have. And the fact that he’d agreed to check on me only made it seem so easy to give him the position he wouldn’t take.

It was my mess, I had to solve it. But it didn’t mean that I wasn’t human and wouldn’t cower the moment things got difficult.

I’d taken it this far. I didn’t want to go any further. This was just too much for me.

But there was no stopping this thing from crashing to the ground, and there was no chance I was going to be able to let it go.

Finish what you start. You asked for change, you’re getting it. You don’t necessary have to like the changes you brought about.

I took a breath, “I know I don’t get to. I know that I can’t desist because, if I do, I’ll feel guilty for my entire life, but I just... I no longer know what to do and it’s just... I’m not sure I can do this. Not anymore. It’s tough and it’s going to hurt so much... The fact that I’m given the option...”

Only to trail off the moment I felt a weight on my bed, moving so that I could look at Shaadi's face as he, once again, interrupted, “Even if it looks like an option does not mean that it is valid, you and I both know that. You have set yourself on a terrifying path, but only you can accomplish what you have set yourself out for. You have your own fate, one you have made for yourself, will you refuse yourself that in account of others?”

And say something that made me realize why I’d needed to talk to the Spirit of the Stone. Why even though I’d been apparently been debating with air what path I should choose for myself, it was clear, oh so clear, that I had not.

Shaadi, I knew, had set himself on a path that even I couldn’t stop. His own words made it clear that he had no intention on changing whatever his fate had in store for him, and his presence at my side made that will even clearer in its own way that he had dedicated his existence to making sure that this war ended with a victory instead of a failure. He hadn’t bothered with fate because he’d made his own and had no intention of deviating from it. It was the fate of his will that would guide him and not the fate of any other.

Now the question was, was I willing to hold the cap on my own fate despite the fact that I was willing to go against everything that “fate” apparently had in store. Was I willing to push this all the way as Shaadi was willing to do, or was I a coward that could no longer take the fire?

I shivered and curled a bit on myself, knowing that this was a horrid idea, but remembering, reminding myself what I’d set out to do. It was going to hurt, it was going to hit me in the stomach and I wouldn’t be able to breathe for the longest time, but it was my choice, my original choice, and I couldn’t walk away from it. Mahaado hadn’t, none of the five Priest that had dedicated their lives to their King had, and Shaadi would never.

My choice was made. Now, it was going to make me.

“It’s terrifying.”

“Courage does not come from fearlessness.”

And there was no walking away from it. Not anymore.

“At least I’m going to see Mokuba again,” I voiced out, unable to help the awkward smile.

“Mokuba?”

Only to blink at the question and looking at Shaadi with a frown.

“Yeah, Mokuba. Kaiba Mokuba. My friend. He’s been kidnapped by Pegasus to lure his big brother to the island so the latter can take over Kaiba Cooperation. There’s also the fact that Mokuba swallowed the key to a safe that contained all the necessary documents to run the company, but that’s a small detail compared to the rest. Mokuba’s on the island were Duelist Kingdom is taking place, and I’m hoping he manages to break out. He should, the little thief. After he managed to pick the lock of the cage I was in, I’m pretty sure he can escape from wherever he’s held.”

And only frown more as Shaadi blinked in turn, seeming surprised for a moment. What the hell? He didn’t — I slapped my forehead. No, he didn’t. I hadn’t talked to him in the past three days and the only minds he’d been in were Yuugi’s, which was a clusterfuck, and my brother’s, which I had no idea what it looked like, but Shaadi probably hadn’t bothered with since he was there to take it over to make me talk.

I was a rightful dumbass.

“You want to know about the people I hang out with?” I asked, and smiled when he gave a nod that looked like a bow. Maybe Shaadi wasn’t that bad after all.

... And maybe, just maybe, reminding myself of who the people I was trying to help would give me enough reason to talk to my brother and tell him that this was not longer about us. This was no longer about the older brother trying to protect his younger sister from the worst. This was about the group and the fact that we could no longer change our decisions. He wasn’t going to like it, but it was no longer in his hands.

“Where do you want me to start?”

“Who is Kaiba Mokuba’s older brother?”


	25. The Ferry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd say I'm sorry to post this early, but I have a reason along with a slight downer. I will be starting to work soon, so I might be having a bit of trouble keeping up with everything for a while, hence this. I will try my best to keep up with everything, but I can't make any guarantees, at least until I have a rhythm down. I am finishing this, though. I started this story and I will finish it.

Don’t ask me how I found myself on the ferry to Duelist Kingdom. Don’t wonder how the conversation with my brother went, and how the hell I managed to convince him to let me go along with the rest of the group. And don’t even think to ask how the rest of the group reacted to the fact that, after so much protesting, my brother was letting me on without much fuss. Just let it go. It doesn’t concern anyone but myself and anyone being interested is a nosy brat who thinks they’re entitled to the world.

... I’m not convincing anyone, aren’t I? Yeah, didn’t think so.

The conversation did not go well. Saying that I hit a wall and kept banging against it until it gave out is giving my brother less credit than he’s allowed, but saying that my leash is now shorter than it’s ever been isn’t. He wasn’t happy with the fact that I contested his authority, and the fact that I explicitly told him that he wasn’t dad only got him madder. Needless to say that if he had been dad — or mom, for that matter — I probably would have seen myself grounded for the better part of spring vacation along with being on the port wishing Yuugi luck instead of being near smuggled on board with Anzu, my brother and Bakura while Jonouchi made his way in with a star chip belonging to Yuugi.

But he wasn’t, and he couldn’t exactly tell mom and dad how I had suddenly gotten sick without getting grounded himself — How the hell our parents were ignoring the fact that their daughter and son were having a shouting match in said son’s room, I will never know. Then again, we were pretty damn quiet about anything Millennium Item related if front of mom and dad. — so I was still following the group with a backpack that I had filled with camping essentials along with wearing clothes that suited such an activity, but it wasn’t without a caveat. A very big, very enormous caveat.

Next time something like this happened, I had to sit it out.

Yeah, you heard that right. I could say goodbye to any perspective of helping the group after Duelist Kingdom. Dungeon Dice Monster, Battle City, Millennium World, all of that was now out of reach. Great, isn’t it? How fear can get a hold of you? Then again, considering that I had no idea how long before the rip in my soul opened up and killed me, maybe it was a good thing. At least like that, I could concentrate on what was going to happen in Duelist Kingdom and dedicate my efforts to saving Mokuba when the opportunity presented itself.

Digging my heel into Saruwatari’s foot would be satisfying, that was for certain.

Until then, though, I would just... stay at the prow, and listen to the insanity as my friends met up with Insector Haga before he threw the Exodia cards overboard. I would wonder what would have happened if I’d warned Yuugi about Haga, along with realize that, as much as I could have stopped the fact that the Exodia cards were now going to rest at the bottom of the sea until a fish ate them, it was better this way. Without Exodia, people would actually want to go against Yuugi because they thought that they had a fair chance. Not that anyone stood a chance against a five thousand year old Pharaoh who’d played the game to death — ha ha — but at least it would make things easier for Yuugi.

I sighed and pulled the hood of my shirt up, feeling like I was just giving an excuse for my inaction and the fact that I wanted to be nowhere near the group right now, certainly when I heard Yami shout revenge against Haga. Because if my brother had fallen on my head, it was nothing like the Pharaoh who was hounding me, trying to figure out what the hell had happened and wouldn’t take “Can't you just trust me?” for an answer. He wouldn’t let up, knowing without knowing that I’ve done something that I was going to pay for later — little did he know that I was already paying the price — and while I couldn’t blame the man because he’d lost his most trusted Priest to the sort of stuff I was pulling, it was grating. I couldn’t get a break around the group because, just like Shaadi had said, they were trying to repay me the only way they knew how which was, unfortunately, not productive. I honestly didn’t want the help they were trying to give since it was suffocating me and if I so much as had to deal with another “You’re too weak to deal with this” argument, my fist was going to find someone nuts. I wanted to concentrate on the little time I had left since the rip in my soul was only getting bigger — Shaadi had told me that it was like a chain with a weak link, it was going to rip completely one way or another — and they were, ultimately, not going to help.

“Megumi?”

Of course, that didn’t mean they would stop looking for me. No matter where I went on the boat, I knew one of them was going to find me at some point. Fortunately, most of the ones that were annoying me had given up talking to me out of exasperation, leaving the ones that I could actually deal with. Anzu who was easy to talk to and easy to distract and one who was quickly and ironically becoming my favorite, and who’d gone looking for me this time.

Bakura Ryou.

Don’t get me wrong, he was still shy. Still a bit unsure and afraid as I watched him flinch a little as I moved a bit to catch him in my peripheral vision. But he was easy to talk to, to be beside of since he knew what I’d done and why I’d done it. He didn’t question, he didn’t ask how he could protect me or help me. And that, that was the thing that was easing any sense of pressure I felt on my shoulders.

Hence why I was able to smile as I answered, “Hey.” while watching him take it as an invitation to come besides me, still keeping a bit of distance but obviously there to make sure I didn’t do anything stupid like jump off the boat myself as he hesitantly started a conversation.

“Yuugi just lost his Exodia cards. Yami got angry.”

“Yami got pissed. Those were Yuugi’s grandfather’s.”

“That explains why he wants Haga to pay.”

“Yep.”

And stopping with a fidget as I closed it, frowning with doubt like always. It was not the way he wanted the conversation to go, and I knew that, but I also knew that sharing my problems with anyone would make them panic. Half the group was already ready to send me home the minute we got to the island, how the hell were they going to react when they realized that I was dying?

“Got the seal with you?”

“Yes, although I have a question about it.”

But I should have realized that my luck on that perspective was running short. There was only so long before a secret became public knowledge among the people I hung out with, and the fact that my ripped soul was linked to a seal that was probably weakening while my will hadn’t changed was sure to cause trouble.

And nothing would have made that more clear than the burnt smear in the center of the prayer slip I’d made, forcing me to take a breath.

Shaadi had warned me in his own way. Meddle with things that aren’t your business, and you’ll find yourself picking up the pieces of what you tried to protect.

I asked, “When did it appear?”

“About three days ago. I didn’t want to alarm you since you had a situation on your hands, but I tried everything I know and nothing works. I think — I think the seal is dying, Megumi,” he answered with a worried tone that I couldn’t blame him for. He probably thought it was his fault since he’d tried to save the thing with what he knew of the occult, and the fact that he was losing his only protection against something that was bound to drive him insane was frightening to say the least.

So I did the only thing I could do.

“It’s not.”

“That’s — That’s impossible. I read up on seals, Megumi. It has to be because everyone else means -”

“I know what it means, Bakura, so please, don’t tell anyone.”

I told the truth without saying a word, and watched the white haired boy gape in horror, unable to say anything as I turned to him, knowing that, of all the people that I could have shared this with, he was both the worst and best choice all in one. Best because Bakura would immediately understand what it meant and its implication, worst because there was a slight chance that the Thief, the one that I’d been working to keep at bay for weeks, now knew that the witch, the one person that would cause him trouble was now on death toll.

The thought that he might be rejoicing made me sick.

“H-How did it-”

“The Eye. When I tried to save Mr. Mutou, it tore.”

And the fact that Bakura seemed to recoil did not make it any better.

“Why-Why would you? Why-Why are you...?”

Or was it the fact that he looked ready to cry?

“If the first time, you felt like you just petered out, what would you do if you were given a second chance?”

Either way, the fact that he blinked at the question, his eyes widening at the question as I felt a lump form in my throat at the fact that Shaadi, the spirit that I knew would never share my secrets, was now accompanied by someone whom I wasn’t sure that I could entirely trust. The fact that my secret was becoming common knowledge did not reassure me. If my brother discovered about this...

“You — You mean...”

“Yeah.”

“But — But _how_?”

If my brother discovered about this, I was so screwed.

“Coma. Four years ago. I don’t know what happened exactly, but I woke up as my brother’s sister then.”

“Is that how...?”

Hence why I could only be happy at the fact that Bakura did not seem inclined in talking to anyone about it, only seeming to sink on himself as I nodded, answering, “Don’t ask me how, you wouldn’t believe me if I did, but that’s why I know so much. It’s also why I decided to mess with something that wasn’t mine to touch with the hope that some people could come out of it a bit better off. I-” Before I stopped and sighed while turning away, unable to look at Bakura anymore. I was no good at this confession thing and this, the fact that Bakura Ryou was one of the people that I knew deserved better than what they had been given was something that just made my stomach go up in knots.

Still, after a breath, I tried, “Four years ago, I landed in the body of someone I didn’t know around people that I barely even knew in the first place. The only one I knew was the one that was my older brother, so I latched onto him since he was somewhat familiar. Then I — I found out about how nice he was and with the events preparing itself in the horizon and the fact that he was going to suffer through them even if he would come out alright, I couldn’t — I couldn’t stand by and watch. I knew that I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I did. So I tied myself even tighter to the one I began to love as a brother and, as a result, I met the gang. That was when I discovered that I had the power to sense things, something I didn’t have originally.

“And, in my want to help people to not suffer as much, I — I learned to use this new power that helped me know that Mokuba was broken, Kaiba was shattered and you — you were just... encased in a blanket of shadows that was practically suffocating you in its attempt to catch people’s attention.

“My brother’s safe now. He won’t get hurt and the worst he’ll face is getting punched in the face by Jonouchi. But you guys — you guys aren’t out of the woods yet, and I just couldn’t...”

“You couldn’t sit and watch,” Bakura finished as I trailed off, earning a nod on my part and making him shake his head as he took a breath, exhaling with his next words, “You are insane. That — that is... does anyone-”

“Know?” I interrupted, only to smile as Bakura nodded. “No. And I want to keep it that way. As far as I’m concerned, I’m Honda Megumi, Honda Hiroto’s little sister, and I’m just doing this to keep everyone somewhat happy. I’ve had four years to adapt. I don’t want anything to take this away.”

And watch him flounder a bit before answering with something that felt more liberating than it should, “I... understand. Th-thank you.”

But I couldn’t help the feeling of the weight on my shoulders lifting a bit. Just like I couldn’t help the relieved breaths I gave as I watched Bakura shift uncomfortably from side to side, knowing, feeling that I’d given him quite a load to carry. Hell only knew how he’d react completely and what the Thief would make of the information if he’d even gotten it, but, for the moment, it was something that I could finally put to rest.

Someone knew. Someone other than a spirit who took a habit of asking questions. And, hopefully, things would turn out alright.

“Megumi?”

“Hm?”

“I — I hate to ask, but what do you want me to do?”

Yes. Hopefully, they would.

I looked at Bakura, knowing that he was probably seeing a bit of desperation, but also knowing that there was nothing I could do about it as I answered, “Fight. When the seal fails, and it will, fight. Don’t give the Spirit of the Ring even one reason to think that he can use you. He’s way too gone to even try to negotiate with. So fight. Fight for your sanity even it means losing control over your body. He might be stronger than you, but you are stronger than you think. You have friends, and it’s thanks to you if the group brought him down the first time. So never think that you’re too weak, okay?”

Only to watch him blink for a bit, making me smile. I knew he was capable of it. I knew that there was a reason that Bakura was still standing when so many had burned thinking that they could hold the power within. Sure, there was the fact that Bakura was the Thief’s reincarnation, but he had something that the Thief himself had been missing in the end.

“... And Mokuba?”

A thought for others. Something other than revenge guiding his step. Understanding.

“I’ll figure that out as I go.”

“... Would it help if I said that I might have figured out a few things from the information you gave me?”

“What things?”

“About you. I might know why your soul ripped.”

And that understanding was going to get him far. Very far.


	26. Goals Reset

“ _Ever thought that your soul wasn’t stable to begin with?”_

“ _What the hell are you talking about, Bakura?”_

“ _Well, I — you — you said it yourself, Megumi. You landed in a body with no memory of its past and, if the information you’ve given me is correct, you have absolutely no clue who the real Megumi was. So you are basing yourself on the facts that you are given by family members and your own emotions and reasoning. That means that, no matter what, you can’t match Megumi completely._

“ _Plus, you — you have not let go of who you were before your death. You can’t. You know all those things and who you have become as Megumi won’t let you go because, as Megumi, you would do anything to help those you care for, hence the need for the information._

“ _Unfortunately, it also creates a conflict. You can’t be two persons at the same time and, along with that, you aren’t who you say you are. You’re going on information, not a soul. It’s not enough and it’s draining you.”_

“ _...”_

“ _Megumi, are you alright?”_

“ _... Just keep going. I’m two... people living in the same body. Why did my soul tear with the Eye and not the Ring?”_

“ _Well, that comes down to what I’ve read. You know that magic is basically will and sentiment given power, right? Well, if you are right on what you’ve said of the Spirit of the Ring, then he would have wanted you alive. He might toy, but he – he wants an audience. He wants someone to watch and admit his greatness. That’s why you lived with your soul intact. He wanted you alive, so he put your soul in a bubble and transferred it elsewhere so that you could admit that he was stronger, that you were inferior._

“ _Pegasus... must not believe in that. He treats the world as a toy and played with people’s souls. He doesn’t care for an audience, he just wants... something -”_

“ _His fiancée.”_

“ _His fiancée?”_

“ _Long story. Keep going.”_

“ _... Alright. He just wants his fiancée back and will stop at nothing to get her back. So, instead of a bubble, it was the equivalent of a hook that grabbed at someone’s soul. It caught yours and, well, because of the conflict within you, you just -”_

“ _Broke.”_

“ _... Yes.”_

I’ll spare you the tears that followed that explanation. I’ll spare you the fact that I barely slept on the boat, thinking, cursing myself over something that I couldn’t have helped. And I’ll spare you from the fact that, when I did sleep, I dreamed of my first conversation with Shaadi all over again. No, the only thing I’ll say is that that night, that night as everyone barely slept in anticipation of the next morning because things were about to change again, I had the worst night in years because all I could feel was the weight of everything come crashing down on me.

The next morning was not any better, either. I took me too long to get myself going and, with the fact that Bakura didn’t want to stray too far from my side along with the questions that I received from the entire group, I could safely assume that I probably looked like a mess.

Then again, when your biggest hope is currently to not live your last few minutes in pain, I guess that your perspective in life isn’t exactly bright.

I could feel my mind running a mile an hour, trying to find someone to blame, to pin the guilt on as Bakura coaxed me forward, to the introduction of Duelist Kingdom that I knew I couldn’t miss, although I couldn’t remember why. I forced my racing mind to shut up with a shout as I tried to remind myself that, no matter whose fault it was, it didn’t matter. It didn’t matter because it wouldn’t change the fact that my soul was now near split in half and continuing its way to complete destruction, after which my death would follow. There was nothing I could do, not anymore.

“Can you feel him?”

“Feel who?”

“Mokuba. You wanted to come here for him, right? Is he in there?”

... Right up until Bakura spoke, making me blink and look up at the who looked concerned, but gave me a nod of encouragement before I turned to Pegasus who was rambling on about the rules of the tournament, feeling my senses search beyond the nauseating man, rush throughout the castle and find something that felt like a light to my senses. Something, someone that made tears fall as I smiled.

I was an idiot. A stupid, blubbering idiot.

I couldn’t do anything. Not for myself. But how dare I forget that there was one last life left that I had to help? How dare I forget about Mokuba, the one who was stuck up there but still dared to hope that we were out there, trying to find him?

I was going to die. But, like I’d said to Bakura, I wanted this life to be worth something, dammit.

“Thank you,” I whispered as I heard Pegasus wish the participants luck, watching Bakura nod before the others neared us.

“Megumi, you okay?”

And Anzu asked a question I could only nod to before motioning to the castle, watching everyone’s gaze follow it as I said, “Mokuba’s in there. He’s looking for an escape while waiting for us. He’s... hoping.”

“Then let’s not let him down, right?” I heard Jonouchi say, making me chuckle a bit. “We’ll get him back, don’t worry about it.”

“If he breaks out, he’ll be hunted,” I still couldn’t help but add, though. I remembered that way too well. The fight with the Ventriloquist leading to him getting kidnapped again because everyone had been too busy with cheering Yami on to see that Saruwatari was taking him away.

But, as a hand sunk on my shoulder, making me look to my brother, maybe, just maybe, things would go differently.

“We’ll keep an eye out, and if you see anything, you warn either Jonouchi or me, got it?”

“Got it.”

I was going to die again, and knowing what caused it made no difference. Only that mattered was the fact that I didn’t plan on going silently into that goodnight.


	27. Searching

Forty eight hours. The tournament was going to last forty-eight hours, and if I remembered correctly, Mokuba would break free at around noon of the first day, giving us about six hours to prepare. How he broke out and in what condition he would find us was irrelevant, although I somehow doubted that he would actually duel Yami this time around because of the simple fact that he didn’t resent him for leaving Kaiba behind, we just had to be at the right place at the right time, which, now that I thought about it, was going to be problematic.

This was what happened when you played with things and expected things to go a certain way. They usually didn’t, and you realized too late how you had affected things and you were stuck patching it up.

In this case, I had forgotten the fact that, for the entire group to realize that something was up, someone had to get his star chips and his cards stolen. That was the way the group had known that there was something going on on the island and that something had to be done. It was also the beginning of the player killers going after Yami and Jonouchi until the end of the tournament, turning Duelist Kingdom into a near death hunt, right up until the end where everything was going to be the equivalent of a balancing act that few people could hold.

However, with Mokuba’s resentment being non-existent, and the fact that he had absolutely no reason to stop Yuugi from participating in the tournament unless I was forgetting something, which I doubted, while, maybe he would go looking for Yuugi, and Yami by extension, but not to steal anything. That meant that there was a chance we’d miss Mokuba entirely. He’d escape, get caught again, and we’d be none the wiser. Not something that I was willing to let happen.

So how the hell was I going to patch up such a big problem? It’s not like I could use my powers for six hours without knocking myself out and, with the lack of a watch, I couldn’t exactly keep track of time, either. Of course, I could look around at each end of match to make sure that he hadn’t moved, but my sensing was still fuzzy around the edges. How the hell was I supposed to detect him if he was too far? It’s not like I could cover an entire island, now, could I?

This was way too complicated. Way, way too complicated to lead to anything good, and no matter how much I tried, I could not, for the life of me, remember how many duels would happen before Mokuba would appear, leaving me to tentatively guess at it, which was not productive at all.

“Duel!”

And, apparently, so distracting that I was about to miss the first match with Yami and Insector Haga. Great. Just great.

Then again, I knew the end. Yeah, I had interest in the match and Yami would need support, but I knew that he would win. Didn’t matter if Yami wagered his life, or even how cocky Haga became as he destroyed Yami’s monsters, I knew that, with the fact that the events were playing out as planed, Yami would win with a few crafty combos. Mirror Force, the Burning Land coupled with Curse of Dragon, Yami did not intend to quit until he won, making it quite an interesting match, but not one that had my complete attention. A shame, really, but, with everything that was happening, could I be blamed?

... The fact that I could only be reminded of Ishizu with my behavior did not reassure me.

Still, the fact that the match went according to plan did, along with the fact that Yami seemed unfazed, if a bit harsh about the fact that I started to apologize when he asked if I was looking for Mokuba. He understood, somehow, that I had a reason to come to the island that didn’t involve the matches and while it wouldn’t stop him from going after Pegasus, he was promising, in his own way, to keep an eye out for me, giving me free pass to actually dissociate myself from the duels, at least for now, and make sure that Mokuba found us safely.

I could not be more grateful at that fact, nor could I feel more guilty about it as my big brother assured me once again that, if I needed him, he was there. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciated the fact that I could count on the group if I found him. Hell, I loved the fact that my fight with my brother had seemed to come to a momentary truce as he realized how important it was to me to find and bring Mokuba safely back to the main land. But I couldn’t help but wonder if the fact that I was splitting the group in half over my worries was worth it.

They had their own worries, their own problems. Yuugi was here for his grandfather, Jonouchi was here for his sister. The rest of the group was supposed to be there as support. Who was I to take such an important role?

Gosh, if I didn’t feel full of myself, right now.

My job was supposed to be cheering Yami and Jonouchi as they fought to help the people they loved. My place was to be a help, not be distracted by the fact that Mokuba was somewhere on the island and that there was a chance we could completely miss him.

But if I needed more proof that the eleven-year-old was important to me, I didn’t have to any further.

Because it wasn’t a question of bringing him back to Kaiba, although I knew that he was going to come to the island at some point. It wasn’t a question of holding the promise I had made to myself in saving Mokuba. I cared for the kid, cared more than I probably wanted to. He might have been a sneaky little thief, a pompous brat, but he cared, goddammit, and he’d saved my life from the Thief. I owed him that much.

So, as much as I hated it, I would have to sit this one out. I would have to concentrate on one thing and one thing only, and it seemed that, as much as I wanted to concentrate on the matches that were taking place, my heart was already set on finding the one who was hoping to find and be found. He knew of my powers, he knew that he could count on me, and I had no place to let him down.

The duels were a blur. The loud talk of the group became murmur as I tried my best to concentrate on Mokuba’s light, his soul as it moved, seemingly trying to find something, probably an exit. I couldn’t feel anything more than his hope, but that was enough for now. Definitely enough for know as I found my eyes opening after a long moment of standing still before starting to walk, eyes turning to the castle that had everyone halting and turn to me in question.

“Megumi?”

“He’s out. I can’t pinpoint him, but he’s out,” question I answered without hesitation before looking around, realizing where we were. The beach. The match with the fisherman must have just taken place, meaning that, if I remembered correctly, this was the time to look for Mokuba.

And with the way Yami stepped up to me, I knew this was it.

“Guide us to him.”


	28. Return

The nod I had given couldn’t have been fast enough, but the fact that the entire group actually took off right after me the moment I turned and started trying to actually pinpoint Mokuba with my powers as I started to run throughout the island actually reassured me. I wasn’t alone. I might have been in one perilous situation with the gap in my soul and the fact that I was quickly running out of steam — I knew that tracking Mokuba was going to take a lot out of me and I hadn’t lied — but I wasn’t by myself as I came to a stop to catch my breath and the entire group stopped before starting to look around, making it clear that I wasn’t the only one who’d wanted to find Mokuba.

“He’s here?”

“No, Honda. She’s exhausted. She’s been tracking him since the introduction.”

And the fact that it took about five seconds to find myself on my brother’s back after Yami spoke, his bag and mine given to the rest of the group just seemed to confirm that.

I didn’t have time to thank anyone, though. Mokuba was on the move, and we had to find him before the guards of the island found him. And while my promise of beating Saruwatari within an inch of his life because he was a double-crossing jerk, I didn’t want to have to deal with the consequences of them finding him before us.

So I pointed in the direction I’d last felt him before being forced to hide my face as my big brother moved onward, still trying to catch my breath as I felt him getting closer to our position. He couldn’t be far. He had to be close. If only I could stop the fuzziness for a second...

“Let me go!”

No... No, this could not be happening.

I felt my brother stop for a fraction of a second before making a turn that the rest of the group followed before I caught sight of Mokuba being held by Saruwatari. Mokuba who stopped struggling for a second when he saw us before doing so tenfold as Yami voice boomed at my side, almost rendering me deaf for a few seconds, “UNHAND HIM!”

If I needed anymore proof that we were in this as a team, this would have been it. Along with the snarl Yami gave as Saruwatari sneered, “This is none of your business, Mutou Yuugi.”

“Anything that deals with Kaiba and his family is my business! Now unhand him before I have to hurt you!”

But that — that made me blink. Blink and look at Yami in astonishment, trying to figure out where this sudden protection for the Kaiba family was coming from. Surely he couldn’t have remembered how — I tentatively reached for him with my sensing power only to be blinded by guilt. Guilt and shamefulness. Yami blamed himself — not anyone else, just himself — for the entirety of the current events. The coma Kaiba was in, the fact that Mokuba had been taken away, Mr. Mutou getting taken into a video cassette, hell, even my recent stay at the hospital was on his ever growing list of things that he blamed himself for. He didn’t need his past to consider the Kaiba brothers his responsibility, he was already treating us as such.

Because would any of this had happened had Yami not shown up?

I half wanted to reach Yami, reassure him that it wasn’t his fault. It was just written. It would happen. It was a fixed point in time that even I hadn’t been able to touch.

“I’m willing to trade. My place in the tournament for him.”

But, like everything else, there were secrets everywhere currently. Just like the fact that Yami had missed his duel with the fisherman, giving him only three star chips where there should have been five.

... He’d been waiting on me. Yami had been waiting on me to react.

“As if, kid.”

“Fine! Have my life, then!”

He’d been waiting on me to tell him where exactly Mokuba was, so he could, at least, meet up to one of his responsibilities. Because if I was here for Mokuba, Yami was here for Kaiba. Kaiba who was still in a coma, yes, but would want his brother back the moment he woke up.

I let myself sink against my big brother’s back as I heard Saruwatari finally agree to the exchange, but unable to listen to the rest of the conversation as he started to walk towards a Battle Box, putting my senses on full alert and making me realize that even if there was a change in order — I wouldn’t count out Kajiki just yet — there was no actual change in the way Yami was going to obtain his star chips. He currently had three, which would put him at six at the end of this. The only difference was — was the chance to get Mokuba out of this.

“Keep an eye on Mokuba and the guard. I don’t trust that man.”

Thing that Yami was clearly taking into consideration before entering the Box.

But even as the match started, and my brother put me down before going to talk to Jonouchi who nodded before disappearing with my brother so that they could take the guard on in case he decided to leave, I was not happy. Not happy at all. Of all the things Yami could have done, why play me? Why actually use me to find something and make himself feel less guilty? Had I really gone too far?

“Are you alright, Megumi?”

“I’m not sure, Bakura. I’m just not sure.”

Because, as much as I wanted to thank Yami for the fact that Mokuba was going to be with us, I just wasn’t sure how to take the fact that I’d been used. That he’d used my capabilities then ultimately put everything he had on the line because, if he didn’t, Mokuba was going to be lost to us until the finals. Not only that, but he’d hid the truth from me only to prove that he’d listened to everything I had said about the Kaiba brothers along with seeing one important thing that I had seen during the time I had in that first day.

The Kaiba brothers needed each other. They needed each other like they needed air. How Yami had figured that out, I had no idea, but he knew more than he was saying and that — that should not have happened. It wouldn’t have happened if I’d told him what exactly was going on in my mind. If I had just told him the truth, we wouldn’t be waddling in secrets.

I’d tried to play him for a fool, and, in turn, he’d played me. Guess we were even now.

I shook my head and smiled. Chuckled, even. I’d been had and I couldn’t hate Yami for it. Couldn’t hate him because I’d done the same. Hell, the only thing this meant was the fact that Yami and I had to talk, and it was going to be a long one. Was I ready for it? No. But I didn’t have to be to know that the next step was mine.

So I joined Anzu and Bakura in telling him to be careful because I knew what awaited him. That ventriloquist was no goddamn joke, and with the fact that he was playing with Kaiba’s cards, this was not going to be an easy duel.

And, had I stayed too far, I realized I would have probably missed the look Yami gave as the first Blue Eyes White Dragon came out and I heard the words the ventriloquist made the puppet say.

Dark part of Kaiba, you goddamn wish.

“Shut up, you fake!” I exclaimed, catching both their attention, and watching Yami look at the puppet before turning to me again, making me shake my head. If he had known that the Kaiba brothers needed each other, he would know what this meant. I had nothing left to add.

“It’s... not Kaiba?”

... Well, not completely. Anzu would have doubts.

“No. I visited Kaiba enough to know how he’s been doing, and I know for a fact that no part of a soul can leave its container without killing it. Kaiba would have to be pretty goddamn desperate to rely on a marionettist actually controlling him, and he’s not. Kaiba Seto answers to no one but himself,” I explained, feeling the gaze of both Anzu and Bakura on me, but unable to take my eyes off the duel as I felt my breath moving through my body. I felt alive. For the first time in weeks, I actually felt alive.

I half-wanted to put my hands on the glass as Yami lost his Curse of Dragon, near shouting at him not to give up. I almost gave in when he played the Magical Hats, knowing that was going to buy him a bit of time. Bit of time I could use to check if Saruwatari had taken the opportunity to leave yet.

Not yet. And, I could feel glimpses of Jonouchi and my brother in the trees. We were covered on all sides, all Yami had to do was win.

The trap card was placed under the Magical Hats along with the Black Magician, and I couldn’t help but cheer when the trap sprung. Yes, I felt bad for the Blue Eyes White Dragon, but it felt satisfying to watch it fall apart since it was in the wrong hands. That poor dragon had seen too much to...

Oh that goddamn coward.

I snarled as the second Blue Eyes came out, only to blink in surprise at the feel of it right after it blasted the Black Magician into oblivion... It was a hologram, yes, but — but now I understood what Yami was talking about when he talked about the heart of the cards.

It had a feel to it, an echo of sorts. An echo that I could only recognize because of the proximity I had had with the man that had that same feel, that same determination and that same unwillingness to fight unfairly given that his heart had been cleansed.

“Kaiba,” I couldn’t help but whisper as everyone stared at the Dragon that just refused to attack before destroying itself, making me breathe while the ventriloquist started cursing at the card’s destruction and Mokuba started yelling his support from a distance. I had no doubt, not for one second that he’d understood what it meant, and it only made me smile as the duel continued, the game stalling as the puppeteer tried to get his hands on the last Blue Eyes.

And, as it came out, I knew that it was the end of the duel.

The set cards flipped, attacks and counter-attacks were made, and I could barely breathe when Yami laid his hand on his last set card, knowing what he was going to do and mentally asking Kaiba for this small chance. I knew he was awake, I knew that he couldn’t hear me, but I could only hope that he would help because, if Yami won, Mokuba would be safe. Mokuba would be with us.

Dead One’s Revival. I watched the Blue Eyes that had destroyed itself come back with the same echo, with the same feel, and the will to listen, just this once, to Yami’s orders as he powered it with the Holy Elf so it could send the other Blue Eyes to oblivion.

Feel Kaiba’s rage, indeed.

Still, it wasn’t over. Yami rose from his seat and I could only flinch as his light became blinding, forcing me to look away, to Saruwatari who was trying to leave with Mokuba only to get ambushed by Jonouchi and my brother. Penalty game and Mokuba was staying with us.

... Mokuba was staying with us...

I felt like dropping to my knees when Yami finally came out of the Battle Box, Kaiba’s deck in hand. I did fall when I heard Mokuba’s shout for me, arms extending so I could collect him in a hug that only confirmed it was, indeed, him and that he wasn’t going anywhere.

“Thank you.”

And I could not contain the tears as I heard him whisper that, reminding me that he’d trusted me. He’d trusted me in retrieving him the entire time, even as I lost myself.

I’d made another change in the timeline. I couldn’t care less. Mokuba was safe and, from the look I glimpsed at on Bakura’s face, I must have looked a whole lot better. Hell, I felt a whole lot better.

Now things could work out. Now, I could concentrate. Now, I could breathe my last.


	29. The Long Road

“You guys okay?”

“Okay? Dude! You just had to escape Pegasus’s castle! Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. They kept me under watch, but didn’t do anything to bad. They just kept an eye out whenever I went to the bathroom.”

“When you went to the bathroom?”

“There’s a safe with important documents in the house. I swallowed the key.”

It took us only a few minutes to agree to a change of location. Didn’t matter if I was too tired to stand or if there was a lot of catching up to do, with the fact that there was at least a dozen guards looking for Mokuba and the fact that Saruwatari had been knocked out, the Battle Box was no longer a safe place to be at, certainly with the fact that the Ventriloquist was still in there, screaming about the fact that his marionette was now out of his control. The sooner we got out of dodge and disappeared into the wilderness, the better things would be.

And we did. After I hurriedly gave Mokuba my hoodie, had my big brother cover me with his trench coat, and was brought onto said big brother’s back, we moved. Walked with the full intention of protecting the fugitive that was now among us, and conversing about a swallowed key like it was the most ordinary thing in the world.

Well, maybe not the most ordinary thing. The only ones not blinking at what had been said were Yami and myself, and, even then, the spirit rose a brow at my chuckling, reminding me that I hadn’t been in the best state of mind in the past week.

And I hadn’t been. Dear god, I hadn’t been. In fact, if there was a moment I had could compare this to, it was the one during I had lost my past father to something that had taken me years to accept, to live with as it had broken my past family apart. I had lost so much, too much, maybe, and the world hadn’t been willing to give it back unless I fought for it. And that was what the nightmare of the past few weeks had been.

I had lost everything. Every shred of progress, every little thing that could have given me the impression that I was safe had been taken away, leaving me nothing solid to work on. Mokuba was gone, Bakura was fighting a losing battle, and I — I had lost everything down to my own soul, and even that had been ripped open thanks to my refusal to accept that some events just had to go the way they did.

Because, if Yuugi’s grandfather wasn’t taken, why the hell would Yuugi travel to Duelist Kingdom in the first place? And if we didn’t go to Duelist Kingdom, how in the world were we supposed to retrieve Mokuba?

I had been a righteous dumbass, and no amount of buttkicking would make this even remotely right.

Yet — Yet even if I knew that I owed apologies, even when I knew that it would take me a whole day to make everything right, I couldn’t feel guilty. Not anymore, at least. Because the fact that Mokuba was walking with us along with animatedly sharing his imprisonment and escape made something very, very clear.

There was still something I could do to make sure that everyone stayed safe. There was still something that only I could do to set things on a better path. It wouldn’t change the end, wouldn’t even give more time to breathe, but it would pave a way to a better future. A future that everyone would be able to hold onto. And that — that was more than I had hoped for in the past few weeks.

That was why I could only grin as Yami shook his head with a smile of his own before he pointed to an area where we could safely rest for a few minutes before getting started again. Smile as everyone sat down with groans of relief and a few complaints of having to walk so long and the lack of food, prompting me to tell Jonouchi to look into my bag that everyone quickly surrounded as they realized that I had packed some food. Not necessarily good food, but something that could definitely tide us over until we got something more substantial.

Might have been out of it, but the well-being of the group was on me and I couldn’t let them down. It was my job as the healer make sure that the group was solid enough to keep going.

... That sounded cheesy and like a horrible RPG.

“Damn, Megumi! A little more and I’d say that you overpacked.”

Thing that Jonouchi seemed to agree with as Anzu took control of the bag and started to ration the food while I was gently set against a tree, making me look up and thank my brother for transporting me. I could barely feel my legs, and my back hurt from carrying that much stuff. Not to mention the fact that half my energy had been sapped in tracking Mokuba who immediately turned around once he’d gotten his portion to give it to me, making me chuckle, but not daring to refuse it. Doing so would only get him upset, and, right now, I had more than my fair share of people upset with me. No need to add another.

So, instead, I chuckled as he went back for another before sitting close to me, just like my brother and Bakura who were using the tree as a prop themselves, conversations restarting and laughter erupting from where we were, quiet enough not be heard by any guards that could pass by, but loud to ring in my head and bring me to laughter myself as we listened to Mokuba’s tale while I committed it to memory.

Mokuba hadn’t exactly been through hell, but it was as good as, it felt. The Big Five, the council of executives of Kaiba Corporation that had once worked under Kaiba Gozaburo were not people that had liked the change of hands that had happened after the previous owner had thrown himself out of a window, and the fact that, after making promises of grandeur, Kaiba Seto had made them merely figureheads with the promise to fire them if things went sour.

That was why, when the company had started sinking, they had turned to a man that held promise with his budding company, Industrial Illusions, and made a deal. One that smelled like treachery from miles away, but one that had been done nonetheless, as the Big Five had believed that they could contain the younger Kaiba, which they obviously hadn’t done, and Pegasus claimed that defeating Yuugi would be as easy as stealing candy from a baby.

Needless to say, the fact that Mokuba had swallowed the key to the most important documents, and that Yuugi was now warned — the fact that Yami gave a look in the general direction of the castle was telling enough that the two of them knew the reasons behind why Yuugi’s grandfather was stuck in the video tape he carried around in the camera Yuugi had with him — the things that I knew should have gone easy for Pegasus would no longer be that simple.

The barbs on the road we were taking were getting sharper by the minute, and it was only a question of time before we hit another snag that even I couldn’t see coming.

But, as it was, Mokuba was with us, was safe until his brother got here, and that was all I cared for.

“And how the hell are we supposed to get him off the island, Jonouchi? There’s guards everywhere, some are even on the boats that are taking the Duelists off the island. If Mokuba goes anywhere, he’ll get caught and thrown back into the castle.”

“I could join him, Anzu. Megumi needs to get home anyway, and...”

“We don’t need to leave the island.”

But it was still a thing I’d have to make clear as I interrupted my brother, bringing the group to silence as I speared a macaroni, bringing it to my mouth and chewing it. It was the first time in weeks that I spoke so confidently, and even I had to say that it was a surprise. Still, I wasn’t about to let it go as I continued speaking once my mouth was empty, “Remember that Blue Eyes that self-destructed, refusing to obey its current Master? There’s a reason for that.”

“... You’re not saying...” Jonouchi began, and trailed off at my nod.

“I felt an echo in that dragon, one that’s familiar. It felt incomplete, but it was there and it stayed even when Yami called onto it. He’s awake,” I explained.

“He — He’s awake?”

Before looking at Mokuba who, for once, looked like an eleven-year-old boy. In all the time I had been with the kid, this had to be the closest he was to being his age as his eye filled with tears at my slow nod, confirming that Kaiba was, indeed, awake. Incomplete, but awake, alive, and more than determined to find his brother. Nothing would keep the man away from his brother, not even death.

The hug I got was unexpected, but welcome as I hugged Mokuba back, feeling his tears falling unto my shoulder while everyone blinked at the interaction, unsure if there was anything to say at the fact that he’d missed his brother that much, or he was that relieved that said brother was finally awake. One thing was certain, though, this thank you was not out of faith, it was out of relief.

That was why the slump I finally felt as Mokuba finally gave into exhaustion was no surprise. Hell only knew how long he’d kept himself going, kept himself from crying or even bursting at the seams while he waited for his brother. The stress that had been on his shoulders had to have been incredible and crushing, and finally stopping, finally being able to end his run was a relief that I couldn’t describe.

“Is he alright?”

And did nothing to help my smile as I heard Bakura’s concerned tone as Anzu didn’t ask, instead getting up and walking to me to see what had just happened, along with questioning me further as I took my brother’s jacket to cover Mokuba with it, “Did he just pass out?” prompting me to nod as the rest of the group smiled, even chuckled before my brother spoke up.

“Something tells me he was happy to hear his brother is awake. Say, guys, if you want to look for a duel, go on ahead. We’ll stay here until he wakes up.”

“Are you insane, Honda? Nobody’s leaving until he does,” to which Anzu responded in a way that made us all chuckle.

Might not have been over, not by a long shot, but damn didn’t we deserve the rest we were getting.


	30. Making Amends

One, breathe in. Two, breathe out. Keep your eyes closed, don’t search for anything, just rest. Mokuba is right there on you, still passed out, poor thing, and he’s not getting recaptured. You can bring him to Kaiba. The older brother will probably freak out while staying his stoic self, but he will retrieve his brother. You’ve done what you’ve set out to do, you can -

“Honda.”

“Yeah?”

“Mind if I talk to your sister?”

... Rest.

Fifteen minutes could not have even passed. I must have been holding Mokuba for only five to ten minutes. I’d barely managed to get my heart to a steady rhythm and was now working on slowing it down. Figures this would be the moment someone would choose to talk to me, probably assuming that this was the only lull we’d get. They wouldn’t be wrong, either, that was the thing. Tonight was going to be hell on earth with the player killer and Kaiba landing on the island before, in the morning Jonouchi got “kidnapped” for one hell of a freaky duel with the zombies, leaving us to search for him. This was the only rest we were going to get.

Hence why I’d hoped to be able to get to relax if only a little longer before the insanity.

“Yami, I’m not sure that’s a good -”

“It’s only for a few minutes, Honda.”

But, as I knew well, maybe too well, in fact, if Yami wanted to talk to one of us, it wasn’t wise to refuse. It meant something, and something important was going on, and he needed a few minutes to talk so that he could set the ship straight.

Because no matter how much I did on my own, I would never deny Yami and Yuugi as being the leaders of this team.

I opened my eyes, looking up to the one who wanted to talk to me to show that I was not only available, but willing. It was probably not going to be a friendly conversation — I doubted Yami had forgotten about the fact that I had done something he deeply disapproved of — but it would be one nonetheless, and, if it was needed, I would comply.

He sat down against the same tree, took a breath, and finally spoke so softly, I almost missed what he said.

“I’m sorry.”

Still didn’t lessen the shock, though. I knew we owed each other an apology. I knew that we’d been making fools of each other. But I’d figured — I’d figured he’d think we’d be even because he’d done to me what I’d done to him.

“What?”

“Don’t make me repeat it.”

Case in point.

“I’m not — not asking for you to repeat it. I’m just wondering why you’re apologizing to me.”

I heard him take a breath, before speaking again, “Yuugi said that what I did wasn’t right. He realized as well as I did that you were looking for Mokuba, and, well, at the end of Jonouchi’s match, I waited from a response from you. It’s... hard to explain why I did it, but...”

And trailing off, hopefully not noticing the smile that I was wearing. He wouldn’t like it, I knew, but for me to realize that I’d been right, not too far off from the truth, was something that not only reassured me, but actually helped me make sense of the situation.

Yami did see us as his responsibility. He did see us as his problem, and the fact that I had been up to some things in the background, as he would call it, would not sit well with him. Hence why he would have preferred to call this even than actually swallowing his pride and coming to apologize, something Yuugi wouldn’t stand for.

Better man. Yami had actually trumped me on it, even if I had been the one running around trying to forgive the Kaiba brothers.

I leaned against the tree, wondering what was the safest course of action. No matter what, I was going to match him. I was going to apologize. The question was how much would I reveal? Play it safe or take a risk?

... With my situation, there was no question on that.

“I don’t think I need an explanation, Yami, I can guess why you wanted Mokuba back in our hands. I might value Mokuba, but you value Kaiba, right? And being the better man would be holding a promise that you’ve made to yourself which is making sure that Kaiba wakes up to see his brother. I understand that. I just thought you’d call it even with all the stuff I’ve done to you in the past months. I played you for a fool myself,” I started, hearing him shuffle and taking it as a positive sign. I was on the right track, I just had to continue that way.

I carded a hand through Mokuba’s hair and smiled as he fidgeted a little, continuing, “So I’m sorry too. I didn’t lie to you, but I wasn’t completely honest either. Like you, my explanation is a bit hard to voice, but I did what I did to protect us.”

“... Are you saying that...”

“Yes, I am. I gave something to Bakura, and it’s going to be inconsequential soon.”

Fuck rest. My heart was back to an unsteady rhythm, but I was doing the right thing. I’d told Bakura that I would turn to Yami if the Thief sprung out, and it was about time that I held true on that.

I heard him shift, voice closer as he spoke, “And you’re going to tell me?”

And I took a breath this time, nodding. I had to. I promised.

“Do you want to...”

“Yeah, hang on. Bakura?”

“Hm?”

“Can you take Mokuba? I gotta talk with Yami.”


	31. Unwanted Sharing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof. ... Yep, that's all I got.
> 
> It's been an interesting week, to say the least. I've been working through depression, finally found a way to market stuff, which is something I will be working with my husband next week, hopefully, and, in general, trying not to lose my mind. I hope things settle down soon because I hate being unsure, although hopefully, things should be picking up soon.
> 
> ... And I can say that I hate retail.

I told him everything. From A to Z. From the alpha to the omega. Despite the feeling that was running up my spine, telling me that things weren’t completely over, I told him of my capabilities, of the blood seal along with my reasons for acting the way I had. The fact that I knew about their future fates was not something I avoided, either, although I did skip on the fact that I was a half dead person with a spirit that was dedicated to protecting him on my tail. It wasn’t that he didn’t need to know, but I knew that if I so much as spoke about it, I would mess things up even further, thing that I had done enough of already.

But, if life was done simply dragging me along for a ride that I had willingly been part of originally — I was starting to understand the whole idea of being a reluctant hero all too well after everything that had happened. It wasn’t one’s willingness that dragged one forward, it was one’s nature. — it didn’t seem done with punishing me for everything I’d done to try to change the fate of a number of people, including my brother.

As you’d expect, it didn’t happen immediately. Poor Kujaku Mai was getting quite the shaft, as I realized that this was also when the young woman discovered that there were people that weren’t predictable or, even further, welcoming enough to make one a part of a group that they wouldn’t have normally, been a part of — I honestly couldn’t thank the group enough for taking me in despite the fact that I had been hanging off my brother’s ankle when I had my first introduction with Jonouchi — but I, unfortunately, couldn’t concentrate long enough to pay attention too much on the next duel and the one with the player killer. Too much going on, and, to be honest, I was simply exhausted after looking and keeping an eye on Mokuba.

So, when I passed out, I did so with little to no thought, and missed the match along with the resolution. Yep. I was just that tired, and the fact that I wasn’t in the best shape was definitely showing as what finally woke me up was to someone shaking me, making me open my eyes to see frantic blue.

“Bakura?”

He did not say a word. Hell, he looked too spooked to even speak. All he did was hold out something that I quickly recognized, making my mind scramble as the moonlight reflected on the gold of the prong that was currently pointing in a direction that, after a few seconds, I knew to be the Eye. That meant one thing.

“I was just checking it and it sprung up. I — Is this — Does this mean...?”

“I’m afraid so, Bakura.”

The Millennium Ring, the Item I’d sought to contain, was finally breaking through the blood seal. I did not have much longer to live.

I gave a breath, thanking Bakura for not screaming — I remembered him doing something of the sort, waking the entire team — and knowing, just knowing, that if this world had involved one having cat ears, mine would have simply folded back as my entire face fell and I felt part of myself start to wonder about the “what ifs” and the “would haves”. This was not like the sudden death of being violently pressed into a car. This was a lot more drawn out, and a whole lot more terrifying.

“I can’t — I can’t do this. He’ll do horrible things if he -”

“Bakura.”

And yet — yet I was the calmer one. Go figure.

“You’re going to stop that, and you’re going to stop that right now. I warned Yami earlier today, you already know that, and they can’t do this without you. You fight, they fight. You’re stronger than that, Bakura. You wouldn’t be able to control that thing otherwise.”

I was the one with the stern tone as I watched Bakura near hysterics before going quiet again. I was the one who was trying to reassure the white haired boy that, even if it meant the end of one part, it was not the end of story. We’d gotten through the first chapter, this was the second. The third and fourth would be theirs, Bakura had to make sure to hold the cap else this entire endeavor would fail, and I would not have that.

“You know that people usually burst into flames when wearing that thing, Bakura? You’re strong enough to withstand that. So you can put up a fight. You just have to believe it yourself.”

I would not have Bakura rolling himself through the dirt, thinking that insanity was better than the outward fight the entire team would have to give. I would never hold him responsible for backing down — I knew better than anyone what self-sacrifice meant — but I knew that fighting it by himself would just be more disastrous.

“... Why is that thing doing that?”

But, again, if life was done messing around, it wasn’t done punishing me.

I didn’t turn towards the voice, recognizing it without a problem as I closed my eyes and tried to breathe. We were talking quietly. The entire group was made of heavy sleepers, and, after today, I couldn’t blame them for simply passing out, so they could recover their energy for the morning. We were idiots to be up this late ourselves.

I just hadn’t taken into account the newest addition, one of which I didn’t know their sleeping habits.

“Mokuba...”

“Wasn’t the blood seal supposed to stop that? What’s going on?”

And it would figure that Kaiba Mokuba, with his history, would be a light sleeper.

This was not what I’d planned. This was not what I wanted to deal with right now. Not with my failure so obviously on display in front of one of the few that could and would guess that this was not a good sign.

My brother knew me well. Mokuba knew people well, and I was learning that faster than I knew what to do with it. He was still a gray area, one that I still had trouble with as I learned all the tricks and things the eleven-year-old could pull.

But I knew one thing.

“Mokuba, you should -”

“I’m not going back to sleep. Not until I know what’s going on. Why is the Millennium Ring active when it was supposed to be contained?”

One thing that I knew I would never swallow correctly. Even when I was gone.

“Because something happened,” I said.

“What did?”

“I — I did a mistake, Mokuba. I did a mistake and it’s destroying the blood seal.”

“You said it -”

“Please, stay quiet, Mokuba. I don’t want the others to know. I don’t — I don’t want my brother to know.”

Eleven years old. Mokuba was eleven years old. Was I so cruel to simply destroy the childhood that I had tried so hard to give him back? I had lost someone precious at the same age, had I learned nothing from that?

... From the look on Mokuba’s face and the fact that he rushed to me, hesitating to reach for me or not, I had not. I goddamn had not.

“What happened?”

“She tried to save Yuugi’s grandfather from getting taken away. She couldn’t. Instead, she — she created a rip in her soul thanks to it.”

“Pegasus did this?”

“In a way, yes.”

“And she — she...”

“She’s been dealing with it since before coming to Duelist Kingdom. She’s also been keeping it from the group.”

“... _Why_?”

“I’m pretty sure you can guess that, Mokuba,” I finally said, cutting Mokuba and Bakura’s conversation as the former continued to stare at me with desperation and sadness. This was not supposed to be happening. This was not supposed to be taking place. Mokuba wasn’t supposed to know. And yet — yet, here we were.

How fitting that the three who’d been bound to a secret I had created before giving the details to Yami where now part of another secret. One that I hadn’t meant for to even exist.

“I’m sorry, Mokuba,” was the only thing I could say, though, as the eleven-year-old deflated before unceremoniously reaching for me and bringing me into a hug that I couldn’t help but return while trying to imagine what was going through his mind. The guilt was enormous, the sadness almost deafening, and when I heard the fan blades of a helicopter that was sure to wake up the group, it was hard for me to pull away and say, “That’d be your brother.”

But even harder was watching his reaction. The sadness without tears as Mokuba tried and tried hard to be strong, to let nothing show.

If I had needed anymore proof that Mokuba believed himself to be my friend and cared about me more than I could even imagine, this would have been it. This would have definitely been it as he completely got off without his eyes ever leaving me as we all heard Jonouchi roar about the fact that someone had decided to wake him up.

And the fact that he silently walked off without saying a word did not reassure me.


	32. Finality

When the helicopter landed and Kaiba came out of it, there was a sense of finality.

I will admit, I had always loved writing. I was by no means professional writer — no original fiction I had written had ever come out — and my writing had never, ever been perfect. I had struggled with beginnings, I had struggled with characters hijacking my plots and both making me look smarter and dumber at the same time. But there was always, always something I had had trouble with, a consistent problem that even if I had managed to fight against it a couple times, it had always found me.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, was endings.

Saying goodbye to characters, to people was difficult. You knew that, once it was done, you would never, ever see them again. You knew that as much as you wanted to hang on, as much as you wanted to leave the project unfinished because that meant the world hadn’t ended, one day, you would have to put that final dot. Those “the end” or “fin” words that you would then left to stare at, feeling both accomplished and sad.

That was the feeling that invaded me when Kaiba came to lay eyes on us, making Mokuba and Yuugi move forward as the group stayed silent, the sullen air of solemness hitting even Jonouchi in the gut as he looked at the situation unfold.

... Figures that, of all times, I’d get poetic now.

I shuffled as Yuugi spoke, summarily explaining the situation that had taken place in the past few months, but I couldn’t be sure Kaiba was listening as he stared at his younger brother with a look that should have been elation or, even slight happiness. He was supposed to be relieved to have his brother back unharmed. I’d never expected a thank you or even a word from the self-centered CEO — if there was one thing that I could tell hadn’t changed, it was the size of Kaiba’s world. It would always contain only him and Mokuba, that was it — but a reaction other than a raised brow as his younger brother neared him while reaching into his pocket for the deck was what I’d been expecting.

What the hell had happened for this meeting to go poorly? When Mokuba turned slightly to give me a look that bordered on sadness, I got my answer.

I’d fucked up. I’d really, _really_ fucked up. Kaiba might have been ready to see Mokuba the minute that helicopter came down, but it wasn’t the case for the younger brother, not anymore. Mokuba had changed, had adapted to a new situation that I had handed him while he waited for his brother to come back. My desire to make sure that Mokuba was not left alone because he had only Kaiba had just backfired and done so monumentally.

Because how could Mokuba be happy when it felt like he was trading off a friend to have his brother back? And how could Kaiba welcome his world back when said world had changed in order to accommodate people whom he could trust?

Part of me flinched as the other looked on, unable to move as blue eyes found me despite the distance. Getting Kaiba’s attention was never a good thing, even after the coma. He might not have been frigid, and he might not have been as ruthless, but this was still Kaiba Seto, the man who’d nearly killed himself at the end of Battle City because he’d lost his tournament, therefore not strong enough to keep going. He would not, if ever, take well to the people who dared to intrude in his little world, whether it be by shouting truths that Kaiba had qualified as nonsense or by actually befriending the one thing Kaiba held closer to him than his own life.

And I had done the latter.

Yeah. Not my smartest move. Might have been my most heart driven one, but definitely not my smartest.

I watched them both talk for a little longer, wondering if I shouldn’t leave. The fact that I was dying, that this was the end did not make me want to face the one that had managed to make me near freeze while he executed someone who did not deserve it. He still scared me. He was still an unknown component in a game that would lead to a lot off issues. And no matter what, even if I liked the Kaiba family, I was not sure I wanted to get anywhere close to the one who could — and probably would at this point — slit my throat and feed me to the wolves, certainly when he found out that I was the one accidentally hurting his younger brother.

... Scratch that last sentence. There was no such thing as accidentally hurting someone in Kaiba’s book. You just did. And if you did and it was to his brother, you were a heartless bitch.

So when Mokuba left the conversation with his brother and went straight for me, I could only wonder why I hadn’t run for the hills. Yes, I was glad that Kaiba hadn’t exploded into rage when he’d discovered the truth — I didn’t need my secrets spilled all over this clearing, after all — but the fact that it was contained, the fact that he hadn’t even elevated his voice was not reassuring.

“Big brother wants to talk to you.”

And the fact that Mokuba looked like he’d taken several years in just one conversation was not good either.

“I’ll go with you.”

But nothing, nothing drove it more home than my own brother speaking up, not knowing what I had gotten myself into but knowing that, whatever it was, it wasn’t good. My brother sounded like a mix of encouraging and upset, and his aura was not any better. He was concerned, worried that I had, finally, bitten more than I could chew. Little did he know that I already have, and this was just me picking up the pieces.

So I declined. Politely and firmly, with a bow that I could feel was only upsetting him further, I declined, swallowed, and crossed the gap that separated Yuugi and Kaiba from the rest of the group, glad that Jonouchi hadn’t opened his mouth just yet, and hoping he never did.

... Then again, Mokuba had saved him during Death T. He owed the younger Kaiba brother that much.

One last look behind me — the entire group looked worried that I had been singled out — and I finally stepped close enough for Kaiba to speak, “Name.”

And for me to flinch, debating whether to obey or tell the man that I was sorry for intervening when I wasn’t necessary, even if it had been heartfelt.

“Name!”

Of course, Kaiba Seto was never patient.

“Honda Megumi,” I answered, deciding it was best to obey if he was going to be this adamant. I would prefer avoiding trouble, since I was pretty close to the end of my story. I wanted to be remembered as someone good, not as a bitch.

Then again, with the fact that Kaiba fell silent after I’d given him what he wanted, I wasn’t sure what to do next. The only thing I knew about him was that he was self-centered, and, definitely, prideful. I had no idea what to do of the fact that he went quiet.

“I’m sorry I hurt your brother. I didn’t mean to. I just wanted to make sure that he wasn’t alone until you returned.”

Nor did I know what to make of the steps he took in my direction before grabbing me by the chin, forcing me to look up and try not to flinch as blue eyes scrutinized me, searching for something that I honestly could not find.

“HEY! Hands off, Kaiba!”

And, as it figures, that was the last thing Jonouchi could take. I heard him take a few steps forward before he shouted in indignation at being held into position, making me want to look, but Kaiba had a pretty solid grip on my chin as he ignored the ruckus, eyes now trying to bore into mine before he let go, making me stumble backwards. Whatever he was looking for, I honestly could not be sure he’d found it, but he’d had enough.

“Mokuba is in your custody.”

And said something that nearly made my heart stop.

“But he should...”

“He won’t leave,” he interrupted me with a tone that left no place for replies other than acceptance, and a look that said everything I didn’t want to hear. Mokuba wouldn’t leave, and it was my fault.

“I’m sorry, Kaiba,” I apologized again, knowing that it wouldn’t be taken, but knowing that it was better to ask for forgiveness. I’d screwed up. I’d royally screwed up.

“Then make sure he doesn’t die.”

In fact, I’d screwed so much that Kaiba was not giving me a choice. I had a duty to him, a promise that I was about to make so that, no matter what happened, his brother pulled out alive. My life didn’t matter to him, probably never would, but if his brother thought that he needed to stay because I’d done something, he’d make me pay for it.

Remember when I said that Kaiba would make anyone pay the way he saw fit? This was the proof of it.

“I will.”

“Good.”

I only bit my lip as he turned around while grabbing his suitcase, heading straight for the castle. Only reason he had to go was for his company, now, and I couldn’t help but think that things would definitely not go well negotiation wise. Pegasus would not give Kaiba Corporation up that easily, certainly with its technology, and Kaiba — Kaiba was the mind of the industry. The owner of Industrial Illusion would definitely try to keep Kaiba alive.

And if the fact that I felt a hand place itself comfortingly on my shoulder, making me look into purple didn’t drive home the fact that Kaiba was now in danger, that I now had one hell of a responsibility on my shoulders, and that Mokuba was now someone I had to be careful around, nothing would.

“I fucked up, didn’t I?” was all I had time to say before the rest of the group neared us, asking questions as Mokuba looked at me in apology while staying quiet. I would never get the answer, that I knew, but it wasn’t like I needed it since I already knew.

... At least now I knew what I’d be able to concentrate my last efforts on.


	33. The Walk of Resignation

That realization sunk, and sunk well into my mind by the time morning came, too.

It was strange, though. The feeling, the knowing that this wasn’t the end, that the adventure would continue with or without me did not mix well with the feeling of finality I had felt as Kaiba’s helicopter landed, and he handed me one last responsibility before taking off to take care of his subordinates and Pegasus himself. Resignation was not easy, and the fact that, now, at the end of all of this, I was left with more questions than answers with the main one being “if this was how it was going to end, then why send me here in the first place?”

Whoever had chosen me, whether it be for laughs or real need, must have done so with a specific goal in mind. They had to have known how I would react to what I knew, and how I would take the fact that I had been sent here of all places. It was improbable, even impossible for them not to have known my personality, my tendencies for caring very little about who I was and how high I held responsibility or even compassion. I didn’t do comfort, but I did action and plan to help someone out of any, any situation at all. It was who I was.

So why throw me into a world that didn’t really need help on the surface, but I clearly knew the flaws of? Why send me into a world, make me love all these people, if it was just to get rid of me in the end?

... Or was I thinking too much into it?

Was it just an accident? Was it just a hole in the system, that my mind just had not been cleared or that I’d been sent here in the first place? Had the system, or them seen the flaw and were now trying to get rid of it? It wasn’t beyond any system, any machine, to have a flaw in it, and once it was seen, it was something that needed to be dealt with.

My ego told me to go with the first option. It was far more glorious to think that there was a reason for my sending here and that my loss of life was an accident. My more practical side, though, the one that had, long ago, been a lot more scientific and in agreement with Darwinian theorists, was quick to squash the idea. Errors were made. Accidents happened. And if the multiverse was as vast as I was led to believe, certainly with my presence here, there was every chance that I was, indeed, an error, a virus. And that virus needed to be flushed out.

Mess with something that was written, and you would get burned.

I packed my stuff with little to no enthusiasm that morning as the thoughts pinged and ponged across my brain. The look I felt on my back didn’t help, either. I knew that I was worrying a lot of people, and that Yuugi and Yami knew, but it did not make talking any easier or simpler. Conversation had never been something easy to deal with, and the heavy tension meant that small talk was no longer an option. The group hadn’t gone silent, not completely, but I could tell that something was up.

Something that Mokuba’s presence at my side kept reminding me.

He hadn’t grabbed my hand. The eleven-year-old thought himself stronger than that, and I had accepted that, for all of his appearance, Mokuba was, mentally, a whole lot older than that. In addition to that, at our age, holding hands would have been considered a public display of affection, and Japanese customs tabooed those to the extreme. Any emotional show was to happen behind closed doors, and children learned that early. There was a reason that I had been labeled as glue.

But he did stay close. Incredibly close. There had to be the basic respectable distance between the two of us, and that was it. He wasn’t hovering — Bakura, who had been holding a bigger distance, was, though, and I could feel his worry for me floating through the air like miasma — but he was insistent on keeping close, even if we didn’t talk.

And if the whole group thought it was because he was resigned to the fact that his brother had left me in charge of him despite the fact that stronger, more capable people of doing the job, that was not why.

His entire attitude was solemn. Not sullen, solemn. His head might have been low and his hands might have been in his pockets, but every step he took was calculated, counted. Every little glance he took my way, was resigned, but dignified and accepting. And every breath he took was quiet, along with the long swallows that hid the fact that he wanted to scream, yell, but didn’t because there was no point.

I’d thought he’d take the first opportunity to go home when he realized that I wasn’t going to live much longer. I’d thought he’d shout at the fact that he wanted me along. He hadn’t. And the look he gave me when I spared a glance at my brother only to get back to him gave me the answer as to why.

It wasn’t that he hadn’t wanted to. It wasn’t that he hadn’t thought about it. It was just that he understood the inevitable, and the fact that I wouldn’t want to be separated from my friends.

I’d already known that I would feel guilt today. The fact that I still hadn’t told my brother was weighing on me heavily, even if I preferred it that way. I just didn’t think I’d get to be near tears again.

“... I’m sorry.”

And this was, what, the second time this happened thanks to the... eleven-year-old next to me? Hell, I no longer knew what to call him. He might have been a kid, but he felt too damn old to be one.

“It’s not your fault.”

Something that the whisper only confirmed, forcing me to sniff to hold my tears as he reached into my backpack and got a tissue from it so that he could hand it to me.

So much for my thinking of him being a brat. So much for me thinking that Mokuba could be a normal eleven-year-old. And so much for me not wanting to intrude into his personal life as I asked a question that, I knew, I never should have.

“How do you know about it?”

“About what?”

“The concept of death.”

He still answered, though. After taking a quick breath, he answered. Told me that his mother had died giving birth to him before his father had been caught in an accident three years later. He had had no real idea of what it meant back then, but with his brother the way he was, with the fact that ended up in an orphanage, he got a pretty big clue as to what was going on, and how all of this had happened.

Needless to say, the following six years with Gozaburo had only driven those ideas further.

With his brother stuck into being shaped into the next CEO of Kaiba Corporation, Mokuba was not only left to his own, but was left to care, if only in part, for his own brother. He’d resulted to stealing, lock-picking and general thieving to actually manage to even see his brother for small amounts of time as Kaiba was pushed further and further over the edge. He’d done all he could. He’d kept trying. It just hadn’t been enough.

I did not doubt for one second that he’d thought he’d never really see his brother again at some point, and had accepted the fact that the only thing he’d ever get was to be considered a pawn. And I did not doubt the fact that he was doing this for the exact same reasons, either.

My answer would never come, though, as Jonouchi proclaimed loudly that he needed a moment to himself, disappeared into the wilderness, and I felt people make a grab for him, forcing me into action.

I remembered this. Vaguely as the memories of my past life were as resistant as a sheet of paper under the rip, but I did remember this. Sleazeball Bandit Keith was not a player I wanted to touch, and I knew that, to obtain the next star chips safely, Keith had to get his hands on Jonouchi.

But the fear and panic I felt from Jonouchi’s end was enough to get me to move.

... I definitely couldn’t say that my death was something that I had planned, could I?

The group only took one second to react, gathering behind me and quickly picking me up when I had to stop, finding my breath going short too quickly to be normal. The rip was definitely starting to affect me on a physical level, and I had no goddamn clue how long it would take until it affected my mental capacities. I’d rather not know, though, and, at the moment, it didn’t matter. Didn’t matter at all as we got to the match just as it began rather than at the end of it, and tried to cheer Jonouchi on as he refused to back down once he was in the Battle Box.

Couldn’t blame him, really. A true warrior never backed down from a fight, and Jonouchi had a princess waiting for him back home.

The match, though, was just as nasty as I remembered it. As I’d said, Keith was sleazeball and had tricked “Ghost” Kozuka’s deck with zombies and a strategy that I honestly despised. The deck builder in me felt offended at the fact that someone was relying on such a strategy — all it was brute force despite the combos — and insulted at the fact that this was the best Kozuka could do despite the cards available to him. Needless to say, the words “good riddance” flashed in my mind when Jonouchi finally put down the Shield in the Right Hand, Sword in the Left Hand card only to growl in anger minutes later when we ended up getting stuck behind the boulder Keith had asked them to move.

I wanted to phase through the rock and poke Keith’s eyes out.

Instead, I slumped against the rock and sighed in resignation as the entirety of the group began to buzz asking what the best solution was. We weren’t getting anywhere in pushing the rock, and, from the feel of it, no one in this group would enjoy the sight of seeing Keith’s three “acolytes” unconscious because he was a greedy bastard, so that left us with one way, through. Through the Meikyū brothers and their puzzles.

There was a problem with that, though.

I could guide the group there. My sensing could do what the Millennium Ring had done and take us to the Meikyū brothers. The only difference is that I would be using my sensing to find the brothers directly, saying that there’s more people in the tunnel and, hopefully, they would help us out — seeing that they were player killers, that had a very, very low chance of happening, but I was supposed to be clueless here — before guiding them through the tunnels. That was not the issue.

The issue would start after the match.

The Millennium Ring was still being held into tights bonds by what was left of the seal and Bakura, who, after our talk last night had been resolute in accepting the fact that he would soon be fighting the Thief by himself. I remembered something along the lines of desperation caused by the fact that they were stuck underground unless they solved the riddle, giving the perfect opportunity for the Spirit of the Ring to reemerge and realize how easy it was to manipulate Bakura. That “alright, I’ll let you help just this once” was what had broken the holder of the Ring and, ultimately, made him the perfect puppet.

So, even if the Thief intervention had saved the group, it had only helped the Thief in the end. That was not something I wanted for Bakura.

But what solution did I have?

No one bothered much with long time solutions. No one had time to think that far. Being trapped underground in an empty room was a fate worse than death, and made fear climb to new heights. Yami had been able to keep his cool, but I had no doubt that, save for the two Spirits, none of them had seen the trickery.

“Megumi?”

But they hadn’t had what we have now.

My eyes snapped to Mokuba’s face, remembering how well he’d read me in the past few weeks before his capture, and even today. He was smart, he was cunning, he was a thief. But he was not the Spirit of the Ring and that was something that reassured me.

I could only hope that my plan would pay off.

“Sorry. Trying to look around. There’s a faint light in the inside of the tunnels. Maybe they can help us?”

“Worth a try. Come on,” my brother replied as he picked me up and threw me onto his back, once again handing his bag to Jonouchi who shouldered it without protest. I did not miss the frown Mokuba gave my way, but all I had time to do was frown in confusion before the group started moving, forcing me to look forward and point as the structure of the walls became labyrinthine, a clear sign that we were arriving at our destination.

Their presentation felt needlessly extravagant for two player killers that had holed themselves up, not knowing if someone was ever going to come their way.

“You had a vision, didn’t you?”

And that was coming from someone who knew how well simple, but well-chosen words could be effective as I was put down to sit against the wall and Mokuba whispered those words, still close.

Ouch.

“Kind of, yeah,” was my response as the tag team duel began, and I heard the words the Meikyū brothers gave Yami and Jonouchi. A lie if I’d ever heard one.

The brothers themselves oozed with over-confidence. So much of it that they were certain that, no matter the outcome of the match, they would win and we’d be trapped down here forever. Don’t get me wrong, they had a pretty solid base. They were brothers, they knew each other, and they didn’t lack coordination if their display of martial arts was anything to go about. But that over-confidence, the certainty with which they were going into this match was making them underestimate the team they were facing and how cunning Yami could be.

I could only hope that someone other than Yami or me would catch on with the deception.

“What did you see?”

“Them.”

And, from the look of it, Mokuba already knew something was up.

“Them? You saw those two?”

Because if the frown was of any indication, he already knew more than he was saying.

I nodded, and politely asked if he could help me up so I could see this mess of a match. Because that’s what it was, a goddamn mess. Tricks upon tricks upon traps that went absolutely nowhere. With such heavy trenching on the Meikyū side, one had to honestly wonder if this was not the equivalent of a war in an unpleasant maze. The story of the Minotaur definitely came to mind as I saw the last few moves, knowing that this was not the end. They were too sure and I knew why.

Which was why I couldn’t open my mouth.

It was too damn suspicious to open it now, certainly when the coin trick Yami used had taken me forever and a day to finally understand. I was unsuited for this.

“Yami, no! He’s lying!”

But Mokuba wasn’t.

I looked at him briefly with a quick smile before I had to contain a flinch, quickly looking behind me at Bakura who looked like he was concentrating on something that demanded all his attention, leaving him near blank to the world. The laughter of the Meikyū brothers barely reached me as it happened, the opening of the Kyū door taking place as I felt the pain dissipate within me, Bakura slowly blinking to look at me.

He’d done it. He’d contained the Thief. Way to go, Bakura.

I flashed him a smile before turning around and watching Yami take away his hand and reveal the Kyū door, forcing me to contain a snort as the Meikyū looked like they’d taken a hit in the stomach. Needless to say, they were no longer laughing as Yami took the key and went to unlock the door, and we saw that both doors went to the same place.

Smart, but not smart enough, brothers.

Yet, I could only give a breath of relief as we made it outside, practically right at Pegasus’s door, only to blink in surprise as I saw Kujaku Mai standing there, one of her hands holding onto something that I could only guess were the extra star chips she’d collected.

Something... wasn’t right here.

Where was Kaiba? Where was the fight between him and Yami? I knew that Mokuba had been a crucial point, but... wouldn’t Pegasus insist on seeing how determined Kaiba was to get his company back? Wouldn’t he try to toy and play with the man before delivering to his untimely fate? The deck he played was full of trickery and deceit, why not go all the way even without the incentive?

Unless... Unless something had gone wrong. Unless something in that castle had not gone the way I thought it would, and Kaiba had been sent off the deep end. Pegasus was resourceful. He didn’t play the same game twice unless he was absolutely sure it would work and, with his plan falling apart, he would not take any risks.

Had I tripped a line in Pegasus that had made him leave the boisterous surface of Toon World and brought forth the Thousand Eyes Sacrifice? Had I actually? But that meant — that meant...

That meant that by saving Mokuba, I had actually made Pegasus snap.

I swallowed, and watched the doors open as I trembled. Kujaku went first, and, by the time the doors opened again, and we were let through, she was gone. I half-expected she’d been led to the visiting quarters already. So were we. Pegasus was unseen, but he was definitely there as I shivered from a cold gaze constantly staring down at us. The only appearance he did was at dinner to enthusiastically explain the rules, but I could tell that it was just a front. By the number of guards, even if they hadn’t done anything, this was no longer semi-friendly territory.

I guess that would explain why we fought each other for sleeping arrangements.

My brother did not want me sleeping with Mokuba by myself, no matter what kind of arrangement I had with Kaiba. He refused vehemently, and when Jonouchi got into it, I thought it was all but a lost cause before Bakura spoke up, suggesting that he sleep with us. I’m not sure how he managed it, but he did, and I was extremely grateful for it.

Didn’t do anything about my nerves, though, as I barely managed to get any sleep, and, when the door opened and I saw who it was, I knew that this was it.

I saw the Eye light up, and I leapt for Mokuba with a scream.

“NO!”


	34. The Temple

My eyes opened. I moved to stand and looked at the bright blue sky.

_Is this heaven?_

My gaze then lowered, before I was forced to duck and avoid a flashing light. My hand went to my side, grabbing the hilt of a sword before I slowly, carefully, straightened myself to look at the ball of light which had stopped.

_What is that?_

The ball moved towards me. Slowly. Surely. I reached a hand to touch it, making it giggle like a child as it changed color, a bright green.

More laughter. It came from behind. I turned and looked. Two more balls floated there, one red, one blue, and they approached me with giggles and happiness, slowly beginning to circle me.

Then the green one took off.

_Hey!_

I ran. Followed as the other two did the same, laughing before joining the one that had gone ahead.

I reached an open area devoid of pillars before they rose up, going vertical as they joined something, someone.

An angel.

_I know you..._

Her hand extended with a smile. I reached for it before skidding off the platform and into the sky.

* * *

 

Outside again. This time, patrol.

_It’s the same place._

A hand was kept on my sword as I went inside. The sun was still pouring through, illuminating the books and the numerous tables.

Someone cleared their throat. I turned.

_Another angel._

I blinked as they stared at me looking upset before opening their mouth to speak.

Nothing came out.

_I can’t hear him._

I blinked again before cringing as I grabbed my head.

_I can’t hear him!_

Headache. My hands slid to the ground as I tried to stay conscious.

_I can’t hear you..._

* * *

 

My eyes were once again staring at the sky.

_Third time. Pattern? Why here?_

This time, I did not get up on my own. I was pulled to stand, before I was spun around and my eyes met with an angry red angel.

_This is not heaven._

He yelled. He screamed and spat and shouted. But I could not hear a thing.

_I still can’t hear them._

He made a grab for my sword. I held onto it as tightly as I could.

_I don’t want to die. Not again._

He let go and pushed me. I fell off the temple in the sky.

* * *

 

I landed in a heap of armor and bones, skidding across the stone to land against a wall.

_A fight? This is not heaven. Where am I?_

I lifted my eyes to meet with the one who was now walking towards me, purple wings fluttering behind him.

_He’s angry. What did I do? Where am I? Why can’t I leave?_

He grabbed me. Hauled my up to my feet, mouth moving without sound.

_It’s a question. He’s expecting something. What?_

I was let go of and fell against the ground before my chin was grabbed and my eyes met with deep purple as his mouth moved deliberately slow and I heard the words, just like a whisper, fill my head to the brim.

Go back.

_Go back. Go home. I want to go home._

I screamed.


	35. Waking

I screamed. Shrieked as I sat up, eyes wide and shaking from head to toe. Every little inch of me trembled as I saw blotches of color swim in my vision, unable to understand, to comprehend.

I had died.

A cool touch came to my arm, making me jerk away as quickly as I could while trying to turn towards whatever had touched me. One arm didn’t follow, hand finding itself stopped by something I still couldn’t see, and honestly didn’t care for. I just had to get away as far as I could.

I pulled. My hand was grabbed and firmly brought down as whoever it was shouted.

“Megumi! Calm down!”

And I flinched. Flinched and forced myself to actually see beyond what my vision was feeding me, blinking a few times until I saw a soft face with green eyes.

“... Mrs. Takashi.”

I still have no idea how she managed to smile the way she did once I recognized her.

“There you go. Now, can you lie down? Slowly, slowly. There you go.”

But I do know that I was grateful. Extremely, extremely grateful at her presence as she lay me down, and my mind finally, and sluggishly, kicked in once again, scrambling with assessing the situation as well as it could.

My right arm wouldn’t move far because there was an IV on it. I was also hooked up to a heart monitor which was beeping quite shrilly still, but my heart rate was definitely coming down now that the moment of panic was over.

But I had died. I was sure of it. How the hell was I alive _this_ time?

And where the hell was I?

This was not the hospital. There was no goddamn chance in hell that this was the hospital. No wall would have that color of beige in a hospital, and the ceiling would be tiled with that weird styrofoamy tile with holes in it. This ceiling was solid. White and plain, yes, but solid and without texture. So if this was the hospital, this was a section I’d never been in — and considering my history with them at this point, it seemed pretty damn impossible — and I was getting better treatment than Kaiba Seto, which was, again, impossible. My family had to nearly scrounge to live by, how in the world would they give up what little they have for such luxury for their youngest daughter when it was better used in putting food on the table?

“Mrs. Takashi?”

“Yes, Miss Honda?”

“Where am I?”

Maybe, just maybe, Nurse Takashi had the answers. If she was here, then it was someone who knew how susceptible I was to falling unconscious — she’d been there during the events of the capture of my soul — and had probably taken the precautions necessary so that the minimum of people knew what had happened.

A smile. She knew something. She knew where I was, who had taken me here.

“I’m afraid that is not my information to reveal, Miss Honda.”

... What?

“Wh-Why not?”

“Because someone insisted that it was best if he shared that information with you specifically. Ordered it, actually.”

Ordered it? Why? Nothing made sense. I wanted things to make sense!

“Would you like it if I contacted him?”

No time for that. Mrs. Takashi was giving me an option and this was not an appropriate time for a temper tantrum. No time was appropriate for a temper tantrum.

I took a breath, counted to ten and, on the exhale, said, “Yes, please.”

Along with tried to smile back at Mrs. Takashi before she stepped out and I sunk into the bed, looking at the ceiling, once again trying to piece what I knew together. Nothing made sense, but, maybe, just maybe, if I tried, I could figure out what the hell was going on.

Easier said than done when all your mind remembers is the fact that you’ve died.

I remembered the few minutes before, the fact that Pegasus had been exceptionally mad at the fact that his plan had fallen into pieces, and how the night had gone. I remembered not sleeping well, Pegasus showing up, the Eye glowing and throwing myself at Mokuba to protect him. I remembered screaming as the pain of my soul being entirely ripped in half took over, but refusing to let go of Mokuba because, if he was taken, things would only get worse.

Then came the dreams.

Heaven was the first word that had come to mind, but it wasn’t long before that illusion faded, the angels of whatever that place was becoming violent the more the dreams progressed. The peace had been shattered, the sense of calm was gone, and I had woken up here after that last angel had told me to go back.

As far as dreams went, that was either exceptional timing or he’d actually aimed at sending me back. Why? No clue. Hell, I couldn’t even understand how or why I was back. I had died. My soul had ripped in half. I wasn’t supposed to be alive, much less back as Honda Megumi. How -

I blinked as I heard the sound of the doorknob turning, going to sit so that I could see whoever it was.

Only to freeze when I saw black hair and a yellow and purple striped shirt much too big for the body that was wearing it. Mokuba. Kaiba Mokuba.

Charcoal eyes lifted, blurred with tears as a small smile formed, and I found myself knocked back down as he swung himself to me from across the room.


	36. Reconciliation

“ _You’re alive. You’re alive! Shaadi told us that there was a chance that you’d never wake up, and I was hoping he was wrong, and he is and I’m so glad you’re back!”_

“ _Master Mokuba, please, calm down! Miss Honda is still in recovery and connected to delicate machinery. If you move aside, I can disconnect her.”_

“ _... Sorry Mrs. Takashi. Is this better?”_

“ _Much better. Thank you, Master Mokuba.”_

“ _You’re welcome, Mrs. Takashi.”_

“ _Alright then. All unplugged. I’ll leave you both, then. Guard her well, Master Mokuba!”_

“ _Will do, Mrs. Takashi! Have a nice afternoon!_

“ _... I’m sorry I shouted.”_

“ _Huh?”_

“ _I’m sorry I shouted. Mrs. Takashi is right. You’re recovering and you’ve just barely woken up. I need to be more careful.”_

“ _It’s fine, Mokuba.”_

“ _It’s not fine! You were dead and you’re waking up barely a week later...”_

“ _... A week?”_

“ _Yeah, a week. What Shaadi did isn’t...”_

“ _Shaadi?”_

“ _... I better start from the beginning, shouldn’t I?”_

“ _... Yes, please.”_

“ _... Alright. First thing first, you’re at my house. It’s March 18th 1997. The tournament ended about a week ago and school is on again. I think you passed, so did your brother and the rest of the group. My brother did too. Bakura’s... gone missing.”_

“ _Gone missing?”_

“ _Yes. It’s a long story and I gotta start from the beginning.”_

“ _... He ran off because the seal stopped working, didn’t he?”_

“ _Megumi! Don’t start with that! Please! I don’t... Let me start from the beginning okay? Like you asked me to.”_

“ _... Okay.”_

“ _Okay, do you remember the fact that Pegasus came to the room we were in? Alright. Then may I assume you remember the fact that you leaped to protect me? Great. Okay. Well. You — You died then. Pegasus ripped your soul in two, killing you. But, in a way, he also saved you.”_

“ _How?”_

“ _Well, everything happened pretty fast after you died. I... couldn’t move. Bakura, who was sleeping with us as you’ll remember, got up to try to help, but ran after a near full-body jerk saying he was sorry. I think — I think the seal broke and the Spirit of the Ring took the opportunity right at that moment, because something happened later and it’s only explainable if the spirit was released then, but that’s not important right now._

“ _After Bakura left, your brother came in along with an Arabian guy with a turban who called himself Shaadi. He said he’d been watching you since the trouble with your soul happened, and he gave us a quick set of instructions that your brother threw in his face, only to have them thrown back in his own with the question, “Do you want your sister alive or not?”_

“ _I didn’t question it from that point on. I moved you to the bed I’d been using and asked him how. He just lifted a card with a weird scribble on it, before approaching you, taking off this weird ankh necklace from around his neck to put it against your forehead. He then grabbed the card with the hand holding the ankh and turned it a quarter turn left before going completely silent. He came back to his senses just as the others came to the door and looked straight to Yami — I only know it was Yami because Shaadi addressed him as the Spirit of the Puzzle — and, after a bit of discussion, he lifted the card that was now blank and told us what he’d done._

“ _Finds out that, when Pegasus ripped your soul, he ripped cleanly and took half with him. Had your soul gone apart inside you, there would have been no chance in saving it, but with the fact that Pegasus took a part with him, he basically gave us an extra solution, one that could save you. And that’s what Shaadi did. He reintegrated part of your soul into the part that was left, allowing for you to live._

“ _... But he also had to tell us the reason it separated in the first place so he could tell us what might happen when you finally woke up and your soul had accepted the half.”_

“ _... No...”_

“ _He told us that you — you came from another place and time. And you’d — you’d been battling between two states, essentially. Part of you knew it didn’t belong, the other wanted to, believed that it did. That’s why your soul ripped. And that’s why... that’s why he told us that there was a chance that when you woke up, you’d have forgotten about us.”_

“ _... no... no...”_

“ _... I’m sorry, Megumi...”_

The first thing I felt when I woke up were the dry, salty tracks of the tears that I had spent. The second was the gnawing emptiness. I knew that there was no point in looking, no point in searching because I would always come back empty-handed, yet the hope, the sheer hope that I could maybe dig up something, anything, was enough to keep me looking.

The feeling of sadness, of simply wanting to stay there until death claimed me were extremely familiar. So was the feeling of wanting to kick myself out of bed and berate myself for being so weak. It wasn’t over. The Thief was still out there, and I was still on his hit list. There was still work to be done.

... But what work?

I didn’t remember. No matter how much I tried to jolt my memory, nothing would come up. There was nothing. I was done.

It was over.

It was over.

The Thief would kill me. No way, no how out of it. I was his next target, and I was dead before he even started to hunt me down. Shaadi had saved the wrong life, and his efforts were wasted. Whole or not, I was going to die, and I would die by myself.

I turned, slipped to my side as I felt the burning of hot tears roll from my eyes and going to clog my ears. Why bring me back? Why bring me back when the Thief is going to kill me anyway? And when no one would want me back? I’d lied. I’d lied to the entire group, and they’d found out. They’d found out that I was not who I said I was. The only reason Mokuba was willing to accept it was because he partially knew already, and he was a kid but the others? My... Hiroto? He’d never. He’d never forgive a person who’d lied that much.

... Don’t tell me that, now that I was in this situation, Shaadi intended to make use of me.

It’d be just like him, too. He let me go, gather knowledge to figure out the Spirit of the Puzzle’s entourage, then forced me to stay so that I could play intermediary. He wiped his hands of the entire situation and left me to...

“... Megumi?”

!

My mind screeched to a halt. My eyes blinked before slowly moving, trying to find something that I couldn’t see. My body slowly shifted in hopes to get to the light without being noticed.

Before I found myself spun around, felt said self being scrutinized before being near crushed in a hold that I was not sure what to make off as the head of said person rested against my chest.

“Thank god. Thank god, you’re really alive.”

The hold changed into a hug, and the head went to my shoulder.

“I didn’t know what to tell Mom and Dad anymore. I’m so glad.”

And it finally clicked.

“Big...”

No. No, he wasn’t. Not anymore. I couldn’t.... He wouldn’t...

“Yeah. Yeah, it’s me. You’re okay, Megumi, you’re okay. You’re back. You’re with me. You’re okay.”

He did.

My hands gripped his jacket as I felt the tears well up. Well up and burn down my checks as I choked on the first sob. I was wrong. I was damned wrong.

“Big brother...”

“I’m right here. You’re okay.”

And I honestly could not have been more relieved about it.


	37. Past & Present

“You’re helpless.”

“Says the one who is wearing a uniform that needs to be ironed.”

“Not my fault someone didn’t want me to go.”

The last sentence was completed with a hand in my hair, messing it further than it already was. Didn’t really care at the moment, though. Big brother was the one with the brush and trying to undo the ragged mess that it was before trying to tie it up. And, as much he had improved, I knew that there was going to be a few hairs sticking out in the end.

But, again, I didn’t care. I did not give a damn. Big brother was here. Big brother had stayed. And big brother was still big brother.

And I had never felt that much relief in a long time.

We hadn’t talked after my break down. I hadn’t said a damned word despite the need to apologize kicking me in the shins, and he hadn’t said anything to indicate that he was angry or upset. Instead, I’d just pleaded for him to stay, pleaded for him to keep me company, and he had. He had and the first thing he’d told me was to wake up, or we were going to be late to school despite the fact that the sun still wasn’t up and tried to get me in the clothes I’d left in all the while trying to tie my hair and making sure that I was in semi order before we left.

Part of me kept hoping that his meant I was forgiven.

“There. You’ll be able to fix it when we get home.”

“Are we going to have time?”

“If we miss first period, yeah.”

The other part kept wondering what was the pull I was feeling as I slid my hoodie on, messing my brother’s work, and he got busy on my shoes.

What was that feeling, anyway?

I took the opportunity to look while my brother tied my shoes before rushing to get his bag — at this point, it was clear that he’d come here straight after school and that Mokuba must have called him to tell him that I was awake — and heading straight for the door, opening it as I took in the vanity for the first time.

... No, not the vanity. The object on it. The golden object that shone as if lit by a million diamonds, making me squint before blinking as I approached the vanity, the object with a shape I recognized if only from the books that I had read in hopes of “refreshing my memory” about Egyptian Mythology. Now, that knowledge was saving me as I regarded the object, the ankh-like thing with both apprehension and what I could only qualify as morbid curiosity.

I knew this object. I knew who this belonged to.

“Did Shaadi come here?” I asked my brother who looked both doubtful and resigned to a fact that I still didn’t catch, it felt like.

He still moved from the door, closing it with a soft click, and spoke after taking a breath, “Yeah. Not last night, but he did follow us home. He didn’t ask, he just did. And, by the time you were brought here, he set that down and said that you were the only one allowed to collect it if you wanted it. Also said that you’d know what it was.”

...

I turned to look at it again, taking in the details of it. It didn’t finish like any ankh I’d seen before. The wide end of it was instead in the shape of a key. Was this the ankh-like key that had saved me? It felt like the Millennium Puzzle. And that made sense, didn’t it? Shaadi carried Millennium Items. But why hand one of them to me?

“Did he say what it was for?” I asked, and, from the lack of answer, I could only suppose that it was a no.

“You don’t have to take it, you know.”

And I knew that those words, that simple sentence was there to reassure me. Reassure me, and possibly tell me that I didn’t have to keep going. I’d done enough. I’d died already. I’d paid my dues.

... But that wouldn’t stop the Spirit of the Ring. That wouldn’t stop his grudge, wouldn’t stop the fact that I had done so much to get in his way. And if there was one thing that I hadn’t lost, it was the memory of the seal and the fact that Bakura was now fighting with little to no hope. That seal, that hope, had all but died with my.... death. I couldn’t — I couldn’t let him to fight alone. I couldn’t run. I had to fight.

Not to mention those dreams. Those dreams that were still vivid in my memory. They had significance. That last angel, he’d sent me back. Why? I had to know. I had to find my answers. And there was only one way to do that.

Keep going. Keep fighting.

... Still...

I had feared the Millennium Items, hadn’t I? I hadn’t wanted to touch the objects for as long as I lived. I couldn’t remember why, but I had and there had to be a good reason for it. Was I ready to make that kind of jump in hopes to help a friend and figure out what those angels wanted with me?

“... Megumi, you okay?”

I had to be insane.

“Would be alright if I did?”

‘Cause I was thinking about it. I was definitely thinking about it and checking with my brother if it was okay. If even with the promise I’d made to him, it was okay.

I watched his eyes widen before shifting his gaze to the object then looking away. I watched him, felt him struggle with himself, anger rising and falling within him along with fear. Fear, of this I was sure, of losing me again, of having to deal with my secrets and lies. Didn’t matter if I told him that I wouldn’t lie to him again, he’d never believe me. He’d never trust me the way he had.

“You know, I’m still mad at you for lying to me, Megumi.”

So to say that I was surprised at the fact that he was bringing up the past would be a complete and utter lie.

“You didn’t tell me about the seal. You didn’t tell me that your soul was ripped in half, and worst of all, you didn’t even tell me that Shaadi was actually watching you because of it. And considering all of that, I should tell you to stop and walk away. You’ve done enough.”

That was why I simply took a breath, exhaling calmly as he spoke. There was no reason to feel bitter. I lied. He had every right to be angry.

“... But.”

...?

“But considering what you did while you were supposedly still out. Considering that you were willing to risk recovery while still unconscious for a friend, I don’t think saying that you shouldn’t is right.” I turned to him, unable to help the blinking as he continued, “I know what you did. I know that you lied. I know why you did it, too. Hardest part of all of that is knowing that there’s a chance I can’t protect you.”

“Big brother, I...”

“I know. I know you’re sorry. Shaadi told us everything, told me everything. And seeing what you’ve done to able to hold the lie...”

He trailed off. He trailed off and swallowed thickly, eyes shining in a light that I recognized immediately. He felt sad. He wasn’t just angry, scared and upset. He was hurt.

I did not hesitate. My arms circled him as I tried not cry myself. I hadn’t meant to hurt him. I’d simply wanted to give him what he’d hoped for for so many years. I couldn’t just turn my back on the person who’d cared for me, could I? And there was one thing, one feeling that I had never been able to set aside or help during the time that I’d been here.

“I love you, Big Brother.”

I loved him. I loved him very, very much. That, of all the lies and omissions I’d done, was the one truth I knew he could trust, I could trust.

I loved my big brother, and I was willing to go as far as needed to make sure that he was safe and happy.

“Take it. If you think you need it, take it. I won’t stop you. I just... Be careful, okay?”

“I will,” I replied with a squeeze, before turning to the object, the Millennium Item, taking a breath as I felt apprehension settle in. Ankh or not, this was a Millennium Item, and those Items weren’t exactly known to be kind. If memory served me right, both spirits of the Puzzle and the Ring weren’t exactly sane. Sure, the spirit of the Puzzle had eventually turned out alright, but the Ring... I didn’t expect any change anytime soon.

So what did this one hold?

My hand hesitantly floated over the Item, trembling as I lowered it to the object that seemed to radiating even more light. Its power was reaching for me. I could feel it. It wanted to show me something. What?

My finger barely touched the cold metal and I backed off with a scream.

“You alright?”

Yellow eyes. Glowing yellow eyes watching me. From where? And how? Was this tied to my dreams in any way?

“Hey! Megumi! You okay?”

I shook my head. I couldn’t let it bother me right now. My brother was with me.

“I think so.”

“You sure?”

I nodded, “I — I think it wanted to show me something. I saw yellow eyes.”

“... Yellow eyes?”

“Yeah.”

“... You sure you’re fine?”

“Yes.”

“Megumi, I’m pretty sure seeing yellow eyes isn’t a good sign.”

Before looking at him with a deadpan look, “You’re talking to your psychic, witchy sister who had dreams when she was “dead” and just touched a magical item dated almost a thousand years older than her. Tell me again that seeing yellow eyes isn’t good sign.”

And watching him seemingly debating the point, “Fair enough. You picking it up?”

“Yeah. I — I think it’s safe,” I said before walking back to the vanity, hesitating yet again before touching it and letting my hand slide along it. Nothing else. It was done. For now.

I looked to my brother with a smile, “It’s alright.”

“Good. Now stuff it in your pocket. We need to get home,” he stated, and I did as instructed only to lift my head the moment I heard someone clear their throat, making me look at the door.

“Where do you think you’re both going?”


	38. Drawing Lines

There was no escaping the Kaiba family.

My brother and I learned that the hard way that morning. With Mokuba standing in the doorway in a way that I was sure was supposed to look authoritative — the tapping foot honestly just made the fact that he’d crossed his arms cute — before he asked us again what was going on and promptly got upset at the fact that my brother was trying to take me home, so I could get ready for school when the Kaibas — I was honestly surprised to hear that Mokuba had gotten his brother’s approval on this — had gone out of their way to get the books demanded for the school along with notebooks, backpack and uniform. It felt a bit overdramatic, but it did make that statement clear. There was no escaping the Kaiba family. Once they had you in their sight, you were done for.

That was how we found ourselves in the Kaiba limousine minutes later, fed and with lunchboxes, me in uniform and hair tied up a lot tidier, and my brother looking a lot more pristine than he had minutes ago because of his freshly pressed uniform. And, just to add a touch of unnatural to the scene, while Mokuba was chatting us up up until his stop came along, Kaiba didn’t say a thing.

Not a single damn thing.

He kept staring at this laptop and typing on it the entire way. He didn’t say a word to his brother other than a grunt as the latter said, “Have a nice day at school.”. He didn’t say anything as the limousine went from Mokuba’s school to our own. And he didn’t even move to look at us as the vehicle came to its second stop and the door was opened minutes later. He just kept staring at his computer the entire time, making the guard who’d opened the door nervous before he politely called out to us to tell us that it was alright to get off.

Talk about unnerving.

I knew that Kaiba was a man of few words. Very few ones, in fact. If I had any better proof of that, it was the fact that, during our second meeting I had been the one who had talked the most. I, who was someone who preferred action to words, had talked more than the CEO who, after we stepped out, finally got out of his own vehicle and took a fast pace to overcome us, laptop under his arm and book bag held like a suitcase in his other. But wasn’t this a bit rude? Wasn’t this a little impolite? I wanted to thank the man for not only providing me with a secure place until I recovered — a hospital, no matter how well guarded, was not exactly a great place when there was a maniac after your life and was on the loose — but managing to get my life in order so quickly. There was practically no time spent in translation thanks to him. That meant a lot to someone who wasn’t even sure if her friends were going to be willing to take her back.

So why was he being so damn difficult?

“Come on, let’s get you to class.”

Didn’t have time to question it. I had class to get to and a locker to find. I had shoes to change.

And friends to meet up with.

... Yeah. Friends. Nothing drove that home more than the hug I received from Anzu and the haste in which she spoke about yesterday’s events, telling us how worried she’d been when big brother took off like a bullet after class, the fact that Jonouchi took a few minutes to check if I was really alright, nearly lifting me off the ground to confirm that it was indeed me — finds out that a good hit in the shoulder was all he needed to confirm that I was in good shape — and the fact that Yuugi looked both pleased and upset, soon pulling me away to tell me that he was sorry.

“Why are you sorry?”

“I had to let Bakura run off. The Ring, it-”

“I know. You did everything you could, Yuugi. It’s not your fault.”

“But Yami...”

“Yami can stuff it. You both had to deal with a possible murder case, a tournament, and getting Kaiba back. That’s more than enough, don’t you think? Besides, he’ll come back.”

“How can you be sure?”

“Well, I’m not dead, and, according to big brother, he knows. Plus, think he’d quit on getting revenge against Yami?”

I still had friends. I still had my big brother. And we could bring Bakura back. It was probably not going to be as easy as an exorcism, but we would get him back. It wasn’t over. It was never over.

That was enough for me to stop Yuugi and his “but”, reminding him that there was school to worry about first. There was more than Bakura and the Ring in this game. There were other Items that were now starting to switch hands.

And there were dreams that I had to figure out.

Yes, I was obsessing over them. I realized that. But dreams were never this vivid, this colorful, or felt that real. They were imagery of the subconscious trying to make sense of the day and what it meant for the future. That was why there was so much symbolism in dreams and why, when one saw little of their dreams, they took on an entirely new significance.

So dreams like these... never really happened. Patterns rarely repeated themselves up to four times, and all those dreams had one specific location.

That temple in the sky.

It only made sense that if angels had a home, a possible civilization, it would be in the sky, but the place had felt consistent, almost stable. No subconscious went through that much trouble. It modified the places that one’s mind was in with little to no care for consistency and stability. That was why your mind didn’t concentrate on the decor, but an object. An object and a sensation. Fear, happiness, dolphins, tornadoes. The second that you concentrated on the decor is the moment you acknowledged you were dreaming.

So why keep it so consistent? So in order? Why specify that I was simply in another place of the temple?

... Yeah, maybe I was taking this too far. Maybe I was thinking about it too much. But one was allowed answers, right? And there was one feeling I just couldn’t shake.

I knew those angels.

Couldn’t remember where I’d seen them, how I knew about them, but I knew them. I’d known them at some point. Somewhere, beyond the four years I could currently remember, I had known them well enough for them to be recognizable beyond the loss of memory. They were part of the past the had been eliminated in the reintegration of my soul, and they were strong enough a memory to be recognized without a name.

Just like the Millennium Item currently in my bag.

I had to find answers. I wasn’t going to stand idle while angels and glowing eyes took over my life. I was going to figure this out.

“Alright, here you are. Good luck, Megumi.”

“Thank you, big brother.”

But first, school.


	39. Ordinary & Unnatural

Yes, school.

The thousands of kids that went on with their lives without even realizing that the person sitting next to them had died and lived through it. The teachers who were semi-understanding but expected you to blow their expectations out of the water like you’d done last year because you’d proven yourself good, even brilliant in English and in Math class despite the fact that you hadn’t been there for four years and you couldn’t because whatever knowledge you’d held was gone like the part of your soul that had always known what was coming. Said teachers calling you after class in worry of the fact that you’d, maybe lost your touch and, in the process, possibly failed your future because of it while said future was, for you, limited to tomorrow because you had a spirit that wanted your death running after you.

That school. That ordinary school which, for some reason, no longer matched my reality and no longer felt like a distraction and, at the same time, felt almost superfluous. That damned school I no longer knew how to feel about, and yet left me with one big urge to say fuck it and throw everything out the window.

I knew I needed a good education. I knew how important my future was. But what was the interest of a future if I wasn’t even sure I had one? If I wasn’t even sure that we weren’t headed towards world destruction? The future? Didn’t I have to make sure I had one first before worrying about getting in a good school and having a good career?

Damn teachers and their normal expectations when one’s world was hanging upside down.

“Megumi, you okay?”

Made me glad that I still had friends. Made me glad that I wasn’t alone in this goddamn debacle and that those people, the people whom I thought would leave without even a goodbye, were still there as I sat for lunch with a massive sigh, wanting to hit my head against something, but instead simply contenting myself with massaging my face roughly before I looked to Anzu who looked worried and ready to jump into action should I need anything.

“I’m fine. I just... It’s hard to explain.”

Which she did. She did by getting up with a smile and sitting next to me before setting up my lunchbox. She didn’t feed me. She didn’t do anything more than holding out my chopsticks which I grabbed and cleaned before digging in, making her smile yet again before she went back to her lunch quietly as Jonouchi spoke, seemingly for the group, “Wondering when that would hit. You got no idea how weird coming back to school was. I mean, we got lucky ‘cause we got a transfer student, but yeah, class feels weird, doesn’t it? Like something doesn’t match?”

No, definitely for the group because even if they weren’t looking at me, even if it seemed like they didn’t care for the answer, they did. Every single one of them did. As if they needed confirmation that they weren’t crazy.

... When had I become such a structural support to this group?

“Yeah, it really doesn’t, does it?” I asked almost rhetorically and felt the tension of the group almost lift, smiles seemingly a little more solid as I continued, “So, new transfer student?”

“Yep. Honestly looks like he’s taken Bakura’s place. Feels kinda sick.”

“Well, he is cute.”

The glare Jonouchi sent Anzu’s way held more than words could give. Hell, it even had a weight that Anzu herself felt as she shrunk sheepishly in her chair instead of defending herself. Bakura was not replaceable. He was a friend. And many of us, if not all of us, were upset he was gone, even if there was no holding the Spirit of the Ring down once he’d taken over.

And that, if I could be honest, made me sad.

“What’s his name?”

Still, it was best not to dwell on it. If the spirit of the Ring was as obsessed as I believed him to be, he would come back. We just had to be patient and wait him out.

“Otogi Ryuuji. He’s a big show off, too. Kinda weird since you both share the same birthday and you’re pretty quiet.”

... And, as it seemed like, there were going to be other things in the way.

Otogi Ryuuji. That name sounded more familiar than I was comfortable with, and carried a strange sense of foreboding. And while I didn’t remember anything to the point where I couldn’t be sure I was right, I was unwilling to say that it was for nothing.

“You alright?”

“Yeah, just... bad feeling. I think it should be best if you guys kept an eye open.”

That was why when my brother spoke up, I did not hesitate. There was a chance it was going to be important, and I wasn’t willing to risk it.

“Dang, I missed this.”

... And apparently, I wasn’t the only one. I blinked at Jonouchi, “Missed what?”

“This. You warning us that something might go wrong. Means that there’s going to be action.”

Who was promptly hit behind the head after his statement, making him give a disgruntled look at Anzu who continued to eat calmly as if nothing had happened. Glad to see that some things never changed.

“You can’t tell me that you’re not glad! The week she was gone was so silent, it was torture.”

“Did it ever hit you that some of us might be enjoying the break? And that every time Megumi feels something, it’s always Yuugi who nearly gets killed?”

... Well, almost.

I had to agree with Anzu, though. Every time something big happened, it was Yuugi who was dragged center stage. We were support at most, dead weight at best. Made me wonder if Yuugi was alright with all of this.

And, seeing him eat, he did look bothered.

“... Yuugi?”

“Hm?”

... Or just absent-minded? That wasn’t the Yuugi I knew.

“Having a talk with Yami?”

“Kind of? I’m listening, though.”

“I’d rather know what’s bothering you first.”

No, definitely not the Yuugi I knew as he suddenly turned sheepish, almost confirming my theory, before he pointed to my bag, making me blink.

That’s — That’s right.

“You want to see it?”

“No, no. Just... I’m kinda glad you took it even if Yami’s upset over it.”

“Took what?”

Yuugi would know. Would feel it. Even if the others couldn’t as Jonouchi’s question confirmed, Yuugi would be able to feel it, if only through the power of the Puzzle. He’d know. And considering that Yami had taken one hell of a hit in the process, the Spirit would not be happy of the fact that I now had a Millennium Item.

“Seriously, took what? You guys are making no sense.”

That was why, at Jonouchi’s insistence, I pulled it out, and felt the Puzzle react almost viscerally to it, with only Yuugi’s hand to contain Yami’s reaction. Yuugi was not bothered, not upset. Yami was.

“... Is that -”

“The Millennium Key. Shaadi left it for Megumi to take. It lets its owner into another’s mind and change it at will.”

Thing that Yuugi’s words seemed to confirm. His tone was even, almost normal. Yet waves of upset and failure rolled all over him. Yami was in a hell of a state for someone who’d lived through Pegasus.

“Can I ask what happened after I... after I died?”

And the only way I’d figure out why was by asking for answers.

School being weird? No. School was normal. School was ordinary. We were weird. We were the ones dealing with otherworldly things that should have been left buried somewhere, never to be found.


	40. Catching Up

“ _I suppose Mokuba explained what happened to you after you did?”_

“ _Yeah. Big brother explained a bit more, but I still can’t make sense of what happened. Did the tournament -”_

“ _He continued it.”_

“ _... What?”_

“ _Pegasus was mad, real mad. Insane, almost. He’d gotten Kaiba, but the key was still lost to him, and he still had to defeat me. And the fact that you stood in his way disrupted a lot of his plan. The moment Shaadi showed up... everything might as well have gone to hell.”_

“ _Why did he keep the tournament going?”_

“ _He had to claim a victory from me. That was the only way. So when Yami and Jonouchi decided not to face off with each other in the semi-finals because they didn’t want to give anything away, he went against us._

“ _The match, though, ... was insane. Yami was dealing with the fact that he had no idea if you were going to live, I was too, and the fact that he started a shadow game mid-match made it even harder. I... Yami already feels responsible for dragging you into something that he thinks he should solve himself, so when I insisted that we keep Pegasus away from our thoughts by facing him one by one and I wasn’t strong enough to handle the shadow game, Yami almost lost it. He got more and more upset through the match and when he won and Pegasus did lose it for a few minutes... Let’s just say that the information Pegasus gave at the end of the match after he finally regained if only a bit of sanity did not help at all._

“ _Pegasus said that the Items were tainted. That... whatever it is that made them, it’s bad and whatever attempt is done to change it into something good, it just won’t work. He also said that he saw a stone. A stone that could contain seven Millennium Items, including the Puzzle, in a cave at the bottom of a village called Kul Elna. Shaadi confirmed it, saying that the place would be the one where all the Millennium Items gather, but he didn’t confirm or deny that the Millennium Items were bad. He just asked Yami if he’d punished Pegasus. He hadn’t. He hadn’t and in the end just asked if you were going to wake up soon. Yami’s... been upset ever since.”_

The words rung in my mind long after we’d gone for class. I found myself tapping my pencil quite a number of times on the desk, mind drifting into thought as the teacher droned on about geometry and equations containing more letters than numbers. The margin of my notebook was filled with scribbles and notes, reminding me of how much I needed a notebook to store the information I had before I lost it again or to make sense of it. And I was quiet the entire trip home, although big brother tried more than his fair share of times to make me smile or come back to reality before he finally gave up, and we talked about what was bothering me on the way home.

Something just didn’t sit right. Some of the information both Pegasus and Shaadi had given felt contradictory and wasn’t at the same time. And there was something, something so obvious I could feel it glaring at me in the face, but, no matter how much I reached for it, I couldn’t grasp it. I knew that the moment I put the information down on paper everything would make sense, but for now, the information was eluding me.

Hence why I couldn’t be more glad at the fact that Mom decided to give me the night to recover. Hence why I was glad that I did not have to rush with my homework as Mom said that I needed rest, therefore I could take my time. And hence why I was glad big brother simply told me that, if I needed him, he was the door right in front of mine, but why I couldn’t be happy at the fact that someone had decided that now was the best time to bother me.

The small, squeaky scream I let out was not only embarrassing, it managed to get my brother into my room in a flash, only for him to move me behind him before he crossed his arms, looking truly upset at the fact that someone seemed to have taken a seat at the edge of my bed.

“You said when she was feeling better.”

“I said when she was ready.”

“Does she look ready to you?”

“I do not decide. The Items do.”

Shaadi was here. Shaadi was _here_. What did he want? Hadn’t he filled his apparent contract of me falling under his watch until something happened?

... And why were my brother and him seemingly having a normal conversation? Shaadi was a spirit. Big brother had trouble even believing that I was a psychic or a witch. Why was my brother not asking where the hell he came from instead of apparently defending me and pushing me further behind him when Shaadi got up?

“We’ve had this conversation before, Honda Hiroto-”

“Yeah, and I remember explicitly telling you that I don’t give a shit about it. She’s my sister, and she’ll talk to you when she’s good and ready. Now leave before I hurt you.”

... Maybe I wasn’t completely right. Maybe we weren’t just weird. Maybe we were weird, and we’d accepted it as our new normal. Because there was no other way big brother would talk that way to a spirit unless he had accepted that this was normal.

“How about asking her first if she is?”

“You son of a-”

“He’s right big brother, and I — I think I should talk to him.”

For the moment, though, I was just glad I could find what little courage I had to speak up, making my brother turn and look worriedly at me as he asked if I was sure.

Because, if I was honest, I wasn’t. But Shaadi was not unreasonable, and I... even if I still couldn’t feel a damn thing in his direction — he was strong, I would give him that — I knew that, just by the fact that he’d saved me, that he wouldn’t kill me. I couldn’t figure out why he hadn’t killed me or let me die, but I knew that he wouldn’t. And if there was one feeling I could trust, it was that one.

“I’m sure.”

“If he hurts you-”

“I’ll let you know.”

That was why the moment my brother slipped out, the moment I found myself alone in the room with Shaadi, my first reflex was simple. Reach into my bag for the Key, unsure if I should hold it out to him, and unsure what to make of the fact that he looked at it before those empty blue eyes returned to me.

“You have not worn it?”

“No. I — I can’t exactly hide it easily.”

“Do you plan to?”

“I... Yes? I mean I thought carrying it around would be-”

“You do realize that you are being hunted, don’t you? You might need that power and might not have the time to reach for it.”

“But what about-”

“Do you fear the Items?”

I flinched, “... Yes.”

“Why?”

“I — I don’t remember. I know I had a good reason, but-”

“My name.”

“... What?”

“My name, Honda Megumi, what is it?”

I blinked. Blinked and stared. What? “What are you talking about?”

The conversation had gone from semi-normal — no conversation would ever be considered normal where Shaadi was concerned — to surreal. What was Shaadi going on about? What had I told him that would warrant such a question? He was looking for something, something specific, but I couldn’t figure out what.

“So you have gotten rid of your weapon?”

And I knew that he was giving me clues. He wasn’t direct, he would never be. It was his nature to be vague, cryptic. It made him dangerous which kept people at a distance. He appreciated that. And yet...

Yet he was asking me for something oddly specific about himself.

Weapon... A name that could be used as a weapon. When had I...?

Ah!

“Ha-”

I found my mouth covered by a cool hand, which, compared to the hand that had neared choked me before, was a lot more reassuring.

“So you remember.”

But was nothing compared to those words, making my eyes widen and gently push his hand away to ask a question that was now burning my lips, “Why did you save me?”

The way he turned away from me, so he could walk to my chair that was now turned — I hadn’t even see the thing move — so he could sit down and face me still, answered the question before he even voiced the words, “I am sure you can guess.”

And I could. Hell, given enough time to write all the information that was rattling inside my brain, I would be able to draw the parallels that Shaadi had seen long ago, but I still could pinpoint why now.

Kin.

We might not have been made the same way, and started out the same, either. Hell, we were probably or most definitely headed completely different directions, but there was something that tied us both together, and would tie us together for as long as either one of us lived.

We were both dead and alive. We’d both seen the face of death and lived to tell the tale.

I wasn’t sure if that reassured or repulsed me.

I went to sit, knowing that I had a billion questions, but knowing that not all of them would find answers. I also knew that our time was short as dinner was coming along, and I had to make sure that mom didn’t catch me talking to an ancient spirit from whoever knew how long ago. And I also knew that, now more than ever, I was going to need someplace to keep all the information I accumulated just so I could make heads or tails of the situation.

But the first question was an obvious one, and I would be foolish not to ask it.

“Why the Key? I know you have two Items, so why-”

“It fit you best.”

Just like the second.

“What — What did you see inside my soul?”

However, if the first question was easy to answer, I came to realize that the second was not as simple. I could feel people’s intentions. I was an empath and I knew that. The Key, with its power to see into someone’s soul, was merely an extension of that power. I could use it without compromising my nature.

The insides of my soul, though, even if they were something I partially already knew, they probably also contained something that should not have belonged. The eyes I saw in the morning attested to that.

“Why does it concern you?”

Not to mention that Shaadi seemed to be dodging the question without even being subtle about it.

“When I touched the Key this morning, I saw eyes. Glowing yellow eyes staring right at me. And, while I was... out, I dreamed. I dreamed of a temple in the sky and four angels. The first one wanted me to fly with her, I think, but I couldn’t. The second... asked me why I was there. The third... tried to take my sword. And the fourth — the fourth, he — he told me to go back. That’s when I woke up. I can’t figure out if it’s all linked, but I get the impression that it is.”

“You are far too perceptive for your own good.”

But that answer, that answer that was not one told me more than he ever could.

“It is?”

I watched him rise from the chair, blinking as he seemingly prepared to leave.

“There is only one thing I will say in this matter, Honda Megumi. I fear more the reason of your sending than what the Key will do to you.”

Which he did. He left without another word and a sound. As if he’d never existed. And my gaze turned to the Key, tracing the shape of it. What could be more important, more terrifying than the Millennium Items?


	41. Finding Ground

I did not get the chance to wonder. I did not get the chance to wonder what the hell could actually scare an age-old spirit as mom and school went on to floor me, forcing me to store the information until later, when things got less busy. Not to mention that I did not get the time to write down the information I had gathered, leaving me clueless as to what I knew, what I didn’t, and what I had to work on.

In fact, there was only one positive point in the first week of my return to school before I hit Friday, and it would have seemed like such a tiny detail to so many that a lot of people would have probably set it aside or scratched it up to habits, but I honestly knew better.

Shaadi did not completely disappear.

Whether he was waiting on me to compile the information that I had or tell him more on the dreams that I had, he did not leave with no return after our first meeting since he’d saved me, and during the time he was there, he seemed dedicated in making sure that I, at least, had what I could only call a few minutes to myself in which I re-centered myself and found myself thanking him after every of his visits.

Because, when he was around, he made me meditate.

Millennium Key on around my neck, the bottom of it hitting my heels, he instructed me to breathe slowly, calmly. To focus on a point and that point alone which he would move around each session. My heart, my empty or racing thoughts that I would gently bring to a halt so that I could sort through them one by one, the Key itself, his voice, he shifted and brought it back on points that helped me breathe, helped me relax, and I was grateful to him for giving me that kind of time.

Which hurt a little when I told him on Thursday that I wouldn’t come home until late on Friday.

“Going to see your friend? Kaiba Mokuba, I believe?”

“Yes.”

“I figured. I will see you after tomorrow, then.”

And left me confused. I still didn’t understand his goal. I didn’t understand why he insisted on seeing me every day, certainly considering that his restrictions, that the fact that he’d forced himself to watch on me because I was so obviously heading towards my demise was done already.

Didn’t help that asking the question brought up nothing but insistence on the fact that he wanted me to meditate.

I couldn’t shake off the impression that he’d seen something, felt something in the depths of my soul that had alarmed him. What, I had no clue, but I knew something had, and I hoped that I got a few minutes to sit down and eventually write down what was bothering me, so I that I wasn’t running in the dark.

That relief, though, unfortunately did not arrive until the end of the week. And it came with a whole other set of problems that I honestly wasn’t sure how to deal with.

Remember the fact that I said that there was no escaping the Kaiba brothers? I stand by it. Hell, I’ll even make it a little more specific.

There is no escaping Kaiba Seto.

I had a lot of making up to do when it came to the Kaiba brothers. The fact that they had accepted me into their home for the better part of a week made it exceptionally difficult to figure out where to go from here. And I can hear a lot of you yelling that the fact that I had sacrificed myself for Mokuba should be enough. To that I say that he threw himself into a real-live version of Monster World to save my ass from Dark Master Zorc. We were even. They had no reason to take me in. They still had.

That was why I showed up on Friday at the Kaiba Mansion with a box of my usual cookies, my brother, and an extra box of treats that I could only hope would not be thrown into my face.

Big brother had not allowed me to go alone. Mokuba was just fine and had gained my brother’s trust more than ten times over after Monster World — he’d been incredibly lax after that event right up until Mokuba was kidnapped —, so it wasn’t the eleven, now possibly twelve-year-old that made my brother anxious.

It was the actual owner of the house himself.

Didn’t matter if Kaiba’s heart had been shattered, didn’t matter if he seemed semi-alright, after the stunt he’d pulled in Duelist Kingdom, Kaiba Seto had hit an all-time low in my brother’s esteem. Didn’t help that the older Kaiba brother said little to no words to calm tensions, instead standing there in silence as he seemingly hoped the situation would blow over.

And since I insisted on seeing Mokuba and, hopefully, saying thank you to his overly stoic brother, big brother was not about to let me go alone.

Hence why I was grateful that it was Mokuba, not his brother, that rushed out to greet us. Why I was happy to see that he seemed reassured, even enthused at the fact that I still seemed willing to drop by even with the fact that his brother was around and fact that I was, supposedly, still recovering. Why I was glad to let him see what I’d made for his brother and for his approval, since I’d worried the entire time I’d baked the confections, hoping that they would be to his brother’s taste.

However, I was terrified the minute I entered the house.

There was no running from the Kaiba brothers, and there was no hiding from Kaiba Seto.

I nearly stopped dead the minute I saw him, not feeling myself shrink, no, but no longer sure how to behave. He was used to high levels of luxury, of obtaining whatever he set his mind to. I was very, very far from that standard.

“Big brother, I...”

“What are you both doing here?”

So even though Kaiba was now talking, this was honestly far from an improvement.

“My sister-”

“If this is about your sister, Honda, then she can speak for herself.”

Very, very far.

Why was it that Kaiba never seemed to realize how uncomfortable he made people? Why was it that he never seemed to react when people seemed to stumble in front of him? Did simply not care out of habit, or did he actually enjoy it? Was he so deep into his illusions of grandeur that he didn’t even realize that this wasn’t how people acted?

“Then let your brother talk, ‘cause she’s here for him.”

“I didn’t peg you as a dog, Honda. I stand corrected.”

I honestly couldn’t be sure. Not anymore. I honestly could not be sure of what type of material Kaiba was made of, and why, dear lord why it was so much more difficult to talk to the man while he was awake. The aura was the same, the person behind whatever front he was putting on was the same. I shouldn’t have had any trouble talking to him.

“You’re going to ruin their friendship because she can’t talk for herself?!”

“All debts were repaid, there is no reason for your presence.”

And yet — yet this felt just like...

“That’s not how friendship works!”

“Spare me with your sentimentality.”

Like climbing a goddamn mountain.

“You wouldn’t even recognize sentimentality if it hit you in the face!”

“STOP IT!”

... Probably why I screamed.

Did I say that it was going to get better? Well, I also did say that things were getting worse. Me and my terrible luck.

“Stop it, both of you! Kaiba’s a jerk, big brother, we get it. Doesn’t mean you have to yell all of his shortcomings to his face. Mokuba, I’m sorry for my brother’s yelling. He’s... been worried about this all week and Kaiba is not helping matters.”

“It’s... okay. Big brother didn’t know about your visits until today. I... wasn’t sure how to tell him.”

One thing was made clear, though. If I was going to stay friends with Mokuba, if I wanted to make sure that Mokuba wasn’t, again, stuck in a situation where the only person he could on was his brother as he slowly edged around the path back to normalcy, I was going to have to be courageous. I was going to have to stand up to the man who scared me so much while reminding myself that he was like everybody else. Just... poorly raised by a man who thought the world was his to control.

I slowly came out from behind my brother, glad to see Mokuba perk up and scramble forward despite his own brother’s calls as I grabbed the box that was meant for him, holding it out for him. He took it with a grin and a thank you while I sucked in a breath and made my way to Kaiba, sure that both my brother and my best friend — there was nothing else I could call Mokuba at this point — were blinking at me as I looked at Kaiba, knowing that I couldn’t cower else I would be seen as weak.

“I am here to see Kaiba Mokuba like I have done every Friday for the past four months. I also came to thank you for letting me stay in your house for a week. I know it’s not in your nature to be considerate of others, so I value the fact that you made sure that I was safe even if it might be just at your brother’s insistence. And, as someone who thinks kindness and friendship is important, I brought you both a gift like I have done for the past four months. Mokuba’s contains chocolate chip cookies which you’re allowed to test as they are homemade. You can also take my word and trust me when I say that they aren’t poisoned.”

I held out the second box. The one I had fretted over all week out of fear that they wouldn’t be adequate. Now that fear felt ridiculous.

“This one is for you. I figured you wouldn’t like something too sweet, so I made you madeleines. You’re allowed to do whatever you want out of them. Just know that this is a gift from someone who’s trying to respect you.”

I took a breath, unsurprised that he didn’t take the box, and at the fact that the entire room felt frozen. I don’t think even wrangling a bull would have quite had the effect talking to Kaiba had.

Wouldn’t stop me, though.

“Now, if I may, I would like to request time with Mokuba. Until eight, if possible. I guarantee that his homework will be done, and we will be quiet. Is there anything I must do to gain that privilege?”


	42. The Notebook

Coffee.

It had to be the most surrealist demand coming from a man who had it all but that was the only, the _only_ thing Kaiba Seto asked of me before I got to join Mokuba who’d taken refuge in the dinning room, books and paper sprawled all over the table.

Well, it went without saying that I actually put the madeleines on a plate to make it look decent and I actually prepared him a cup, asking the staff if they had a clue what their “master” liked — they did, and I was surprised to hear that he liked cream and a bit of sugar in his coffee, weird guy — before bringing it up to his office where he was already yelling into his phone.

... Yep.

I didn’t stay long. Just stepped in, put down the plate and cup with the coffee and the confections, and stepped out, not even expecting any kind of thanks from him as I made my way back to the kitchen only to meet up with a maid who happily took the tray and told me Mokuba was waiting for me in the dinning room, which I went to only to slip into a chair, staring blankly ahead while I wondered one thing.

What the hell had I done in my past life to deal with Kaiba Seto in this one?

“You okay?”

Probably nothing good, but at least it gave me a friend.

“Can I say that your brother can be weird?”

And the fact that I could manage to get said friend to laugh, I could only guess I was doing something right.

So sure, it took more than a few minutes for me to adjust to the fact that we were working in the dinning room — we’d always, always been in the playroom far, even when we’d done our homework, and I was pretty sure it was because Kaiba was sure to lurk around once he was done screaming to the point he no longer could that we were now working on a surface that wouldn’t be cluttered with games once we were done — but the payout of it was too nice to pass up as I tried to help Mokuba with his homework, and he tried to do the same with mine.

... And, I’ll be honest, while it wasn’t the first time that Mokuba proved himself to be smarter than his age — the question as to why Mokuba was still in middle school boggled my mind every Friday — it was the first time he was more useful with snapping me back into reality than anything else. Not surprising considering the circumstances, but very, very annoying considering that I was getting nowhere with my homework. Again.

I was distracted. Had been all freaking week as you know already. I still hadn’t had the chance to put down all the information that was rattling up in my brain and it was getting ridiculous the amount of information I kept finding that I couldn’t put down, didn’t have the time to put down. And it didn’t help that part of me felt like homework was a joke compared to the fact that the world could tilt into darkness any time soon.

“You sure, you okay? You’re usually more on the ball than this.”

So, needless to say, it was noticed. I sighed, pencil drawing lines on the paper, “I’m alright, just... Would you believe me if I said I’m still thinking about Duelist Kingdom and the rest?”

“Can’t say I’m surprised. It was insane. Doesn’t help that we lost Bakura. But what... exactly is bothering you?”

Only to smile at Mokuba’s response. That was why I liked him so much. He didn’t make me feel like I was crazy. He had Kaiba’s logic, but he was a hell of a lot more accepting of the supernatural than his brother.

“Well, to be honest, my past might be gone and, with it, the knowledge of whatever’s coming, but I — I still have a bit of information knocking around. Like information on the Ring that Bakura gave me, remnants of what I knew about Shaadi, and — and dreams that I honestly don’t know what to make of.”

“Dreams?”

“Yeah, dreams. Unfortunately, I haven’t found the-”

“Wait here.”

He still left me to blink, though, getting out of his chair with a large grin before he scurried away, disappearing into the hallway without another word. What — what was he up to?

... And how long was I going to have to wait for it?

From the length it took, he had to have gone into his room. He had to have gone to at least the second floor and came back in a rush — I heard a near tumble in the stairs, nearly making me peek to see if my friend was okay — so he could make good time and hold out something with a grin that looked if a little strained by overexertion, and a sense of pride I wouldn’t understand until I took in the object, again making me blink before I realized what it was.

A journal. And not any type of journal, either. It was fancy, made of leather which promised to hold on for a while, and, while thin, it was clear that the leather itself was only a cover, a nice, holding cover that was holding a least two stapled notebooks.

“I’ll buy you an extra refill. You’ll have it in a week.”

A traveler’s notebook. Mokuba had gotten me a traveler’s notebook.

When? I didn’t know. I didn’t know and I didn’t care. I didn’t give a damn because this — this had to be one of the most thoughtful gift that I had received in a long, long time.

“... You okay?”

And the fact that my vision was blurring, the fact that I could no longer see my friend clearly reminded me of one fact and one fact alone.

He was my friend. He was my best friend, and he really, really wanted to keep me around.

“Th-Thank you. Thank you so much.”

“... You’re welcome.”

And nothing drove that more home than when I took the notebook, the journal after giving him a hug, and opening it to see his writing over the first few pages, making me chuckle as he saw it, panicked, and tried to take it from me again, forcing me to hide it until he explained why and what he’d written.

Because while my brother had been somehow certain of the fact that I — that the Honda Megumi he’d known for four years was going to return to him — Mokuba had not been as sure. He’d hoped beyond hope that I would be the one who’d wake up, but was unable to rest easy with the fact that there was a chance, however slim, that I wouldn’t return. That the memories I’d shared with him would be gone and whoever would return wouldn’t remember the time we’d passed together.

So he’d made a safeguard. A fail-safe.

Should I return without remembering him, should I return without any memory of the past four years, Mokuba had taken it upon himself, without talking to my brother about it, to write everything he could remember about the past few months, and all the information he had gathered from me, my brother and Bakura. He’d gone above and beyond to make sure that, even if I didn’t remember, there was a part of me that was left behind, written inside the pages of a notebook that he would have given me then, hoping again that I would either remember or accept it as truth.

The truth that I was his friend... and he didn’t want to lose that.

The laughter faded, and I felt the lump in my throat return as he explained it, feeling the relief behind it. He was happy that it was me. He was happy that he didn’t have to start from ground zero even if I did to a certain extent, and was ready to pick up where we left off, promising to help me with any blanks that I could have or connections that I couldn’t make because, sometimes, you were too close to the information to make sense of it.

That was why, even if he insisted on it, even if he wanted to recuperate the first notebook, I kept it. I kept it and left it in its place in the journal.

Because, even as he did his best to help me with the information I was sitting on and finally writing down, homework and games forgotten for the moment, this, that notebook was the best proof, the best reminder that someone — that someone somewhere cared for me. Liked me for who I was, and whatever I became from there.

... And, somehow, that felt like the world to me.


	43. D.D.D.

Four angels. One female, three males. One green, one blue, one red, and one purple. A temple in the sky in which they all resided and either knew its guardians, or knew me. A pair of glowing yellow eyes staring straight at me as I picked up the Millennium Key, not necessarily looking for anything, but definitely coming from somewhere, and that this somewhere could be my dreams.

Somehow, to my non-surprise, this was not the point that bugged me the most when it came to writing down everything I could recall.

The dreams were easy to put down. The information about the angels, or non-information, as it were, felt normal, almost casual to finally jot down, as well as leaving more space for each angel or “glowing eyes” to write more. They were dreams. Chances were they would stay dreams.

Reality was the issue.

Reality was the toughest, most ironic thing to free up. It had been the last thing on my mind until this particular moment, and now that I was staring at it, I couldn’t help but wonder how much I had known in the first place.

Shaadi was now the one I knew the most about. Even without writing the name, the weapon — I knew it to be too important to even hit paper — Shaadi was the one with the most detail, the most information. Next to him was Zorc, a counterpart of sorts to Shaadi I was guessing, and that was linked to the Monster World game we’d had and the Spirit of the Ring, the Thief. Said spirit, though, came up with a near empty sheet save for the name Thief. I no longer knew what he was the Thief of, just like I no longer knew what the Spirit of the Puzzle, what Yami was the king of. I remembered that he was Pharaoh, but which one was mystery in and of itself, and the fact that Yami was as clueless as I was did not help.

But that wasn’t the point that bothered me the most. That was not the thing that had me wondering what the hell I had known beforehand to go so far, to want to do so much. No, what bothered me the most was a name. A name I had nothing to attach to no matter how far I searched into my brain for details.

Mahaado.

Mahaado.

It was a name on a single page with nothing else than a relation to the Spirit of the Puzzle and the fact that, even if I knew nothing of the person it was attached to, I was or had been mimicking them enough to bring them to mind. I had done something close to what they would have done, and had dealt with, possibly, similar consequences. It was a simple name, three simple syllables, and yet they were enough to catch Shaadi's attention on Saturday.

“Does the name Mahaado sound familiar to you?”

“Why do you ask?”

“I remember thinking that I was similar to him. Is it true?”

“... Just concentrate on your meditation, child.”

Yeah. It had every right to bother me.

The problem was, and I knew this too well, the only person who could potentially answer my questions about the mystery person that was Mahaado, was Shaadi. The Spirit of the Stone — at this point, I was guessing that he was tied to the Stone Pegasus had spoken off after his match against Yuugi and Yami — probably knew all the answers to what I was looking for. But, as anyone would expect, he wasn’t sharing. He wasn’t saying a word concerning Mahaado, and the more I tried to question him about anything related to anything I had known or seen, the more he kept insisting on meditation.

Needless to say, I was half-tempted to spill the beans to my friends as I wrote “secretive” on Shaadi's page. I half-wondered what was the interest of keeping all of those secrets as lunch came around on Monday and I got ready to tell them about the traveler’s notebook I had in my hands.

Only to find them chatting excitedly about something else already.

I wasn’t surprised. I wasn’t the one they all gravitated to. Yuugi had that honor and, as far as I was concerned, that was fine. He’d brought the group together, whether he saw that or not, and I could hold on to my research until a more appropriate time. Until I wasn’t doing it just to spite a spirit that would probably put a curse on me the moment he realized I'd talked.

“Hey, Megumi! What’you got there?”

So yeah, maybe I should keep that information to myself. For now, at least.

“Nothing, Jonouchi, just a notebook. I’m trying to put my brain in order. What are you guys talking about?”

“There’s a new game store that’s opening soon, and they’re hosting a new game.”

Besides, if I knew anything, burdening the group with information that even I was just starting to look into would cause problems. They’d look into it themselves and, from the fact that trouble had a tendency of finding us, Yuugi more specifically, it would be like leading them straight into a death trap. Not something I’d allow.

“Another game? Yuugi, we’re already in over our heads with Duel Monsters. Are you sure you want to look into another game that might have the same crazy tendencies?”

“Told you she’d take my side.”

So I’d keep it. Until I knew more and knew that I could give Yami the information he would be looking for — something told me that presenting anything related to his past would either annoy him or make him look for more information, neither of which I was ready for — I’d keep it hidden away and would get ready for the next adventure, which, from the fact that Anzu looked upset and Yuugi looked sheepish might just be closer than I thought.

“I know, I know. But it’s just... It looks interesting. Well, it sounds interesting at least.”

“Sounds? You only have the name?”

“Initials, actually. It’s called D.D.D.”

... Much closer than I thought.

“D.D.D.? Yuugi, what’s the name of the place?”

“Black Clown. Why?”

Much, much closer as part of me felt like it was sinking. That... was not a good sign.


	44. Contradictions

Not a good sign at all, and I figured out on Saturday why that was, long after my second visit to Mokuba and talking with my brother about me going despite the promise I had made to stay home and rest.

The Black Clown itself looked like a very, very decent place. Save for the front which had a very ominous clown on it and the fact that it was right across the street from the Kame Game shop — poor Mr. Mutou’s shop was deserted that afternoon — it was alright. The windows were wide and the exterior’s light beige made it feel inviting.

But, as everything else in this world it seemed like, it was a goddamn front.

Like I’ve said before during my meeting with Bakura, sometimes people’s intentions and their outside behavior don’t match. Something felt off, like their heart was off balance and wasn’t completely honest. Most of the time, it was done to avoid showing the burden of a heart weighed down by sadness, by depression out of fear that they would be thought weak. Other times, it was simply done to be polite, to be kind with a person you’d just met in the hopes that you would learn to like them.

And other times, like in this case, it was anger hidden for many years.

I grabbed Yuugi’s hand as the doors opened, expecting the rush in and knowing, just knowing that it was better if someone stayed with him. I let go with an apology as he blushed before telling him what I felt, and how I felt it. I watched him nod and stick close as we tried to navigate our way through the crowds of people that seemed to only get thicker and thicker as time went by. And I almost pulled him back when I felt the wave of hatred creep towards us and the mascot of the place neared us.

It was coming from them. The anger, the jealousy, the desire for revenge was coming from them. It didn’t connect to Yuugi in any way, but it was coming from them.

“Yuugi...” I warned, tried to warn as he followed the clown’s... kind gesture of leading us a bit further down the line, near the counter where they were selling the game.

Too kind. Something wasn’t right, here.

“Yuugi, check your pockets,” I tried.

“Huh? Why?”

But I didn’t get the time to explain. I didn’t get the chance to even start as an officer neared us and started talking about having Yuugi follow them. I didn’t even get a chance to point out that I was with him that they took him away, someplace I couldn’t reach and the store started announcing that it had run out of merchandise for the day.

This... could not be happening.

I tried to stay. I told them that they were holding my friend and that I wasn’t leaving until I saw him again. I was half tempted to control one of the guards if only to grant me a bit more time in the store.

I couldn’t. I was eventually sent out, pushed out as the doors slammed closed behind me. I turned, hitting the door once as they locked it.

“My, my. If it isn’t the witch.”

Only to turn around in a hurry as I felt a shiver run down my spine. It couldn’t be.

It was. I swallowed, “What are you doing here?”

And watched him chuckle, “Moments like these I wonder how you are such a thorn in my side. Have you not felt it yet, witch?” Before he leaned over me, putting a hand on the door and smile too wide to mean anything good, “Your little king just broke, girl. And someone has to do the job you can’t do.”

And I felt it. Felt something bleed into and all over me, near bringing me to tears. I heard a screech, one I was sure I’d heard before but couldn’t pinpoint the source, as the Spirit of the Ring, the Thief, leaned in ever closer, now whispering in my ear, “You need me to get in there, don’t you?”

Yuugi was losing. Yuugi was in serious trouble. The vengeance I had felt might not have been directed towards him, but it still involved him somehow. And because of it...

Because of it, the Puzzle had been broken.

“Why don’t you set your pitiful fear aside and let me help you, girl.”

But that did not give the Thief any rights.

I steeled. Steeled myself and lifted my knee as quickly as possible before lifting the same leg and hitting him in the stomach, pushing him off and making him land back first against the asphalt. I held back the urge to give him a good kick in the head after he landed, knowing that I couldn’t move from my position or else he’d try to go in and I’d be left behind again. And I saw my brother on other side of the road, standing there and looking pale before he ran to the Kame game shop.

He’d come to check that I was alright. I wasn’t. He was going to get the others. I just had to hold my ground.

“Over my dead body, Thief.”

I heard the spirit of the Ring chortle, “Then you’ve lost.”

And found a pit installing itself in my stomach at those words. Not mine. Couldn’t be mine. Yuugi’s.

“You’re losing your king, witch.”

No. We wouldn’t lose Yami. We wouldn’t lose Yami because we wouldn’t lose Yuugi. Yuugi was stronger than this. He was much stronger than this. He could do this, with or without Yami!

I watched the Thief manage to get up only to be hit on the side so hard, he folded in half and landed on the asphalt once again, this time actually knocking him out as Jonouchi unfolded, looking ready to spit on him for a bit before turning to me as Anzu and big brother approached. I felt rather than saw Yuugi’s grandfather on the other side of the road, the worry floating to me like miasma. And I looked at my big brother who simply nodded and took Bakura’s body away, into the next alleyway beyond, promising without words that he’d check on him until someone, possibly Jonouchi, came looking for him.

Because as much as I wanted it to be Jonouchi to take the Thief and deal with him, I knew that, if I was going to need someone, it was Yuugi’s best friend.

“What happened?”

“No idea. All I know is that Yuugi’s in there and the Puzzle’s smashed. He’s crying.”

“Can you reach him?”

I blinked at Anzu who was pointing at my scarf. Could I? Had the Key changed anything? At this point, I could only hope.

“I’ll try. You two need to get in there, though. Two guards are at the entrance and I don’t know where they took Yuugi.”

Jonouchi looked at the ground for a few seconds, then spoke, “I’ll go in and take down the guards. You two stay out here. Once that’s done, Megumi, can you try to pinpoint him?”

“Already on it,” I nodded before clearing the door, letting Jonouchi do his worst as I sat down against the wall of the store. The meditation that Shaadi had been intent on was about to prove itself handy.

“Is there anything I can do?”

... Along with my knowledge of the group, it seemed.

I held out a hand to the nervous Anzu. She’d stood so long in the sidelines, but she held something that was about to turn out to be very, very useful.

Her childhood friendship with Yuugi.

“Take my hand and trust me. It’ll probably feel weird, but trust me, okay?”

And her willingness to always, always help a friend.

She sat in front of me, took both my hands, and, as I closed my eyes and tried to calm myself, bring myself to a center, she did the same. She breathed calmly, as if she’d done the exercise a thousand times before and, even though she gave a twitch as I felt the Key’s power meld into mine, pushing me forward, she didn’t move. She stayed still as I expanded, managed to project myself further than I should be, and found a mind at the end of my search.

[... Yami?]

Yuugi.


	45. The Fires

Being able to communicate with someone through someone else was one hell of an experience. Nothing felt like mine, yet everything was. I was no longer myself, yet all of it was me. I was everything, I was nothing. I was...

[Yami, is that you?]

I wasn’t.

I wasn’t Yami. I wasn’t everything. I wasn’t nothing. I was me.

[No, it’s not Yami. It’s me, Megumi. I’ll answer all your questions later. For now, you have to get up. You have to keep going.]

[Megumi.... Yami — Yami is...]

I was me, and I had to get Yuugi moving again.

[I know. I know, Yuugi. But it’s not over. Not yet. The only difference is you’re the one who has to fight. Yami protected you so far. Time to pay him back.]

[... I can’t...]

[You can. You can and you will. How long did it take you to build the Puzzle, Yuugi?]

[... Eight years?]

[And you never quit, did you?]

[No... But that was before-]

[My point exactly. Now are you going to quit when there’s a friend who needs your help?]

[... No.]

And he did.

I felt him move. Get up to sit down in the chair that he’d been in. I saw glimpses of a table filled with dice and monsters along with two faces. Two distinct faces that I knew would forever be ingrained in my memory.

The clown and the boy. The clown who seemed way too confident and the boy, the boy who felt just as vindicated as the clown.

A story of revenge, hate and vindication. And, once again, Yuugi had been dragged right into it. Not because of an accident, though. Not this time. This time, it was the Puzzle that was fueling all this greed.

I felt like biting my lip, but couldn’t in this vague reality that was not mine. If I wanted to do anything, I was going to have to get back to my own body.

But not before one last shred of hope.

[... Yuugi?]

[Yeah?]

[We’re outside. We’re outside, and we’re making our way in. You just have to hold on until we break through. Once we’re in-]

[Got it. I’ll see what I can do. ... Megumi?]

[Hm?]

[Thank you.]

And smile as I returned to myself. He was going to be alright. He could fight on his own. He just needed something to prove it.

I slumped against the wall.

“Is he alright?”

And cracked an eye open to see Anzu looking distressed. Right. As much as I’d used the connection between her and Yuugi, she hadn’t seen a thing.

“Yeah. A bit upset, but alright. He’s going to fight until we get to him.”

“Good, ‘cause the place’s clear.”

Just like Jonouchi who’d been nice enough to wait until we were done, apparently.

I looked up, and blinked as I saw the old eyes of Mr. Mutou. He’d crossed since I’d been talking telepathically to his grandson, his worry growing tenfold.

“Is my grandson-?”

“He’s alright. He’s in one hell of a fight, but he’s okay. We just need to find him.”

But he still nodded at my words, swallowing his growing fear as Jonouchi insisted we enter the Black Clown. The guards were knocked out cold, promising not to wake up no matter how much energy any of us stirred.

Which was a good thing.

I didn’t notice it until I started searching for Yuugi, but most of my energy had been drained with that little trick. Didn’t help that I couldn’t use the Puzzle as point of reference, either. The thing was in pieces, waiting for someone, no, its owner to rebuild it. The Puzzle, Yami, would accept no one else as its bearer if anything I knew previous was correct, and it didn’t help that its spirit had made such a strong bond with Yuugi. Yami would take no one else, that I knew.

Still, it was of no help in finding Yuugi or the way into the more inner part of the building. His light felt dim, determined but dim. He’d been broken, and that never made things easy.

“C’mon, Megumi! We’re wasting time here!”

Didn’t help that Jonouchi took that moment of all times to flare up in anger, clouding my vision even more.

“Will you give her a minute?! She just talked to him! Her magic’s not infinite!”

And that Anzu added more, if justified, anger, into that.

This was like searching for a needle in a haystack. I didn’t know where to look in the building, or where to even start. Yuugi could be anywhere.

“And I think you both should calm down. Your anger must not be helping.”

... No, not anywhere. He was in the room with two very vengeful people. And that... that was easy to find.

I closed my eyes, and sorted through the feelings. Sorted through the various emotions of the room to hook myself onto one and only one. One that I remembered because I’d felt it the moment that clown had approached Yuugi.

I found myself swallowing at the dripping anger as I opened my eyes, and pointed to behind the counter.

“That way.”

Jonouchi flew. Anzu followed. And I turned to Mr. Mutou for a quick smile and a thank you before we both took off and I heard Jonouchi shout, “Where to next?!”

“The wall! Hidden door!”

Before he slammed to where I pointed next, the door opening, and making him tumble forward as we came to a stop and saw the room.

The game, the monsters and the boy now up, slamming his hand against yet another wall before turning to us.

... But no clown, Puzzle or Yuugi in sight.

“Where’s my grandson?!”

I was not surprised at Mr. Mutou’s frantic tone.

“In here! My father took him in there! He wants to play a forbidden game!”

But the terror that followed was.

“... What’s your name, boy?”

And the fact that Mr. Mutou still managed a calm tone while being that terrified was something I knew I would always admire.

“Otogi Ryuuji.”

“Is there any way we can open that door from here?”

“No.”

Certainly with the fact that things were looking bleaker by the second.

How were we supposed to get in there? Destroy the door? Jonouchi wasn’t strong enough, not by himself. And while I could call big brother, there was still the Thief to worry about. He’d come back. He’d try something.

... But was it worth losing Yuugi?

Wouldn’t matter. Smoke started coming out of the door. We didn’t have time.

I watched Jonouchi scramble up and hit the hidden door with all his weight. I scrambled forward myself as he did it again, hoping that weight, that just throwing myself at it would be enough. I heard Anzu do the same before Mr. Mutou joined in and the door finally gave in, revealing the fire, the clown, and Yuugi within.

And I watched Otogi, make his way in to collect his father, but not moving any further as we moved in to see Yuugi.

Yuugi who was staring at the Puzzle, hands already singed because of the heat and the metal he was holding onto, but refusing to let it go as he turned to us with a look I knew too well.

Determination. We were not moving him.

“You took what I told you to heart, didn’t you?”

The nod to my words was more than enough, along with the tears. Yami might have been a good friend to all of us, but his confidant, the one who knew him best...

I found myself on my knees before reaching out to touch his cheek.

“Don’t die. Whatever you do, don’t die.”

He gave me a smile, “I won’t.”

And I got up. I got up and looked at Jonouchi who nodded before I turned to the others, “We need to move.”

“But Yuugi-”

“Won’t move until he gets to see Yami. And if we all stay here, we’ll — we’ll only get in each other’s way. Jonouchi’s got this. We need to get out.”

I watched Anzu’s eyes filled with tears as she nodded, and Mr. Mutou give one last look behind as we all left for the front door. I saw the clown and Otogi move also, rushing ahead and helping the guards who were barely coming to out the door. I felt more than I saw Mr. Mutou run to the other side of the road, panic and worry running through him undiluted as I looked at Otogi berating his father before the firemen arrived and Mr. Mutou returned.

Before we waited.

We waited as the entire building engulfed itself in the flames of destruction and vengeance. We waited as the firemen tried to soothe the flames without success. We waited even as my brother returned, taking me in his arms before looking up at the building without a word, sheltering me from the sight as I closed my eyes, doing my best to make sure that they were still alive, that there was still light.

There was. And it came out of the fire like the sun, blinding me worse than the flames could. It came out dangling from Yuugi’s hand and cradled deep within his heart. It hid waves of upset and sadness as it kept both Jonouchi and Yuugi safe, even as Jonouchi finally gave Yuugi to the E.M.T.s before passing out himself. And it beckoned me so loud, I could almost hear a voice at the back of my head as I joined Mr. Mutou in the ambulance after giving my brother a look he only gave a nod to.

Yami was back. Yuugi was safe. And whatever had held them apart was now gone.

I gave a smile as Anzu took the closest seat, watching over Yuugi. My research would have to wait. Until it mattered again, it would have to wait. Anzu was right, every time I felt something, it brought Yuugi center stage.

... And it was getting worse.


	46. Help

“Mokuba, you really don’t have to.”

“Megumi, it’s fine. It’s not another medical bill that’s going to put Kaiba Corp. in debt. Besides, you still have the Spirit of the Ring to worry about, right?”

“... True. I still don’t understand why he showed up, though. He even tried to persuade me that he was doing a good thing before disappearing the moment big brother had his back turned. Didn’t even come after us.”

“Maybe he had an idea and it involved seeming good? Who knows how far that guy plans ahead?”

“I don’t think I want to know, honestly.”

“Me neither.”

I smiled as my best friend shivered in the corridor of the hospital before giving me a big grin and coming to a stop in front of a door he didn’t knock on, not that he needed to because he was immediately greeted by the people inside the room as if his brother wasn’t even remotely back.

And that was saying something since it had been about a week since the incident.

Yeah, a week. And while things had settled down, some others, I knew, were not getting any better.

First things first, Mokuba had found out about the fire. Not sure how he had, although I didn’t doubt that someone must have covered the event since the “King of Duels” had almost died like a light in said fire, but he had and his course of action, while unsurprising, had managed to stun me for more than a minute before I had gathered my wits and told him that he was going to run Kaiba Corporation to the ground if he kept trying to help us out.

His answer had been a laugh as Kaiba had glared at me almost violently, making me shrink as I left with Mokuba on Friday afternoon.

Second, I had, for the most part, put my research aside. After telling Shaadi of the events that took place the day before and talking at length of my objectives and the fact that I managed to “use” someone to actually project my thoughts across the threads, I had simply and gently pushed my research aside to listen to the Spirit of the Stone’s warnings about projection and its dangers. I realized that no research in the world was going to help me keep control over my “improved” powers and decided to concentrate fully on the next step, whatever it was with the knowledge — not the hope, the knowledge — that whatever question I had, whatever detail that I was searching for was going to find its answer sooner or later.

As Shaadi had put it, answers came to those who knew not only what to look for, but knew how to wait for said answers.

And third and last... It had to be the first time I actually saw Yuugi disturbed. Yes, he’d looked upset the day I had found Yami saving my brother before fading out, but this — this was genuinely disturbed. Having the Spirit of the Puzzle back with us had eased nothing of the anxiety running rampant through the king — I knew the Spirit of the Ring to be a master manipulator and a cheat, but not a liar — and my hopes to see Yuugi soothed, reassured, all but plummeted the moment he woke up and the Puzzle gave a quick glow before seemingly... shutting off. The light was there, the power of the Puzzle was still strong, but — but Yami went beyond my reach, deep inside the quarters of Puzzle and promising no return.

I could only imagine how deep of a blow the fact that he had almost lost not one, not two, but three people that were supposed to be in his protection was affecting Yami and how much of a failure he must feel like when the latest threat, the latest near miss had been because of the Puzzle itself. Not only that, but it had been his closest charge, his closest friend that had nearly combusted because of it. Yami wouldn’t take it well.

And Yuugi, now to himself and with a door that would only open should it be absolutely needed, was not faring any better.

To this date, I still have no idea how our leader managed to keep a smile on and kept himself from showing the distress and the pain I could feel from him. I still have no idea how he kept going even as Jonouchi was freed from the hospital and returned to class, leaving him alone in that double bed room that Mokuba refused fill once Jonouchi left. And I have no idea how he still managed to play with the childish smile he had, creaming Jonouchi duel after duel.

All I know for sure is that, when my brother finally gathered his courage and presented an article he’d found in our dad’s newspaper — He’d taken the thing once our dad had been done with it, saying that he needed it for class — Yuugi’s reaction was the exact one I had expected. The exact one. Surprise was first, sadness had been next. It hadn’t lasted long, but it was there and it stuck like gunk to him as brother explained the nature of the article, making even Mokuba — Friday meant time with me, and he wasn’t going to waste it — move from his seat to join the group, chatting along with the others as I listened on.

The article, I knew, was a simple one, it was about the opening of an exhibit about Egypt and new findings that had been made recently. But what was interesting about it, what was upsetting about it, was the fact that the woman on the picture, the owner of the exhibit was wearing a necklace with an eye I was starting to recognize too well.

The Eye of Horus. That lady was wearing a Millennium Item and was uncannily familiar. Whatever that meant, Yuugi was going to be, again, at the center of it and I didn’t like that thought. I didn’t like it at all.

But I knew better than to open my mouth, right now. With Yami upset and the fact that he was sure to become overprotective, I didn’t want to bring up the possibility that Yuugi was going to be in danger again, that we were all going to be in danger again. For all I knew, he’d try to bring this to a stop... and end up flattened in the process.

That was why I didn’t say a word, that was why I let them talk until the subject was exhausted just like everyone in the room. That was why I slowly gathered my things as the others gave their goodbyes and began walking out, fully intent on walking out quietly, without a sentence.

“... Megumi, wait.”

And why I felt my heart near stop when I heard, Yuugi call, not daring to check if it was the gentle boy I knew or the upset king that I was sure was beginning to fume.

“Can — Can I talk to you for a bit? Alone?”

But while I was glad to hear that it was still Yuugi, I wasn’t happy that he wanted to talk to me and me alone. I wasn’t ecstatic about the fact that everyone stopped and Mokuba looked at me with a look that said everything that I didn’t want to hear.

Worry, still fear, and expectancy. He knew this was coming, probably long before I realized it myself.

I gave the group a quick smile and slowly closed the door, my eyes closing as I took a breath. I reached for the scarf I barely took off nowadays, letting the cord of the Millennium Key now settle on my neck as the Key itself settled on my uniform. And I turned to take a seat, not too far so that I was in a corner, but far enough for a respectable distance as I asked, “What is it, Yuugi?”

All of this before I watched him swallow and, after several gentle breaths, finally speak, “Megumi, I need your help.”


	47. Past Meets Present

I can’t tell you why I accepted. Whether it was the look in Yuugi’s eyes, the desperation in his aura, or the fact that it was so obvious he needed help, I can’t tell you. All I can say for sure is that, the next weekend, the next Saturday that came along, I was waiting. I was patiently waiting for an irate Spirit that would probably prefer to spit in my face than talk to me after the heart attack I gave him at the entrance of a park that I knew he wouldn’t enjoy, but would both ensure peace and privacy for the conversation Yuugi wanted us to have.

Needless to say, it had not been easy. Anzu might not have felt as despondent as I’d expected her to be and Jonouchi had taken the news well when he’d heard about it from Yuugi himself. Hell, even Mokuba who’d been eager to tell me that his brother had met the woman of the picture had taken it alright. It was my brother who’d been more than anxious about the situation.

He’d tried to insist in coming along. He’d tried to get on the train with me when I’d told him goodbye. He’d even given me the puppy dog eyes as I shook my head and pushed him off, worrying him even more, making me glad that I had managed to get to the park by myself.

But once I felt someone else settle themselves against the railing I was using to look into the park, I was kind of wishing big brother was here.

The upset aura, the light that was having trouble shining despite its radiance. There was no question as to who it was, and the silence that surrounded him until I spoke did not surprise me.

“It wasn’t my idea.”

“From the way Yuugi near slammed me to the front, I figured as much.”

Neither did the sharpness of his tone, as I looked to him. Still the same Yuugi on the outside, but goddamn did everything else seem different.

“He’s worried, you know.”

“He shouldn’t be.”

“Won’t stop him.”

“It should.”

“It won’t.”

“It should!”

Like the fact that those hands, those hands that would have never hurt anyone, were now gripping the metal with anger. With upset. Yami wasn’t happy, and it showed.

... Yet, I felt no fear.

Hence why I managed to carefully lift myself off the rail to enter the park as I added, “It still won’t. He’s a friend, Yami. All of us are.” while hoping, praying that he would follow. He was a good man, I could trust him. He was just really, really upset.

“You make it sound like it’s a good thing,” he snapped, not moving, making me turn and purse my lips as I snipped back.

“Considering that I expected everyone to dump me like trash because I’d lied my butt off for over four years, yeah, I think it’s a good thing.”

Which seemed to be enough to make him take a breath. Breathe as his entire demeanor seemed to shift, hands going to his face to massage the bridge of his nose and eyes closing. His anger, his upset didn’t vanish. It stayed and turned inward as he passed the rail itself, jumping it to join me as he said, “Ever had a feeling, Megumi?” Before glaring a little at the deadpan look I gave, continuing, “Not what I meant. I know you’ve had some. Too many to count. Hell, some of them almost led you to gates of the next world, but I mean — I mean a feeling that... things aren’t a clean cut as they seem. That you’re not who you think you are. I thought I was a spirit. Something intangible here to bring... justice on the world, or make my owner happy, whichever. But I — when Pegasus spoke about an evil intelligence in the Millennium Items right after you almost died trying to save everyone, I — I...”

Making me realize that I wasn’t sure how to take.

Part of me, I knew, had seen Yami as a Spirit. Something intangible that had been sent for a purpose, even if that purpose was unknown to us. Another part, one coming from guesswork, had seen Yami as a king. A powerful Pharaoh who’d known exactly what to do, when to do it, and there had been no doubt in any of his steps.

Yami was strong, was dangerous. He cared for people the way a king should, and took decisions that should make everyone able to move forward.

But the trail off, the sheer helplessness that brought so many things to mind that I couldn’t sort out made one thing exceedingly clear.

Yami was human. Yami was indubitably human.

I was glad that I decided to put a bit of money in a small purse. Because if I hadn’t exactly realized what Yami would need from this meeting, now I did. Now I did.

I started to walk while motioning him to follow before rummaging through the purse, breathing in relief when I felt leather under my fingers. I pulled out the traveler’s notebook which, to no surprise, caught Yami’s eye as I began to explain, “This should come to no surprise to you since you know how much I love order but, after I came back, I decided to keep notes. Not of the present, though. Instead, I tried to remember as much as possible about the past to glean a few details I could find about my past life. Along with that, I took notes about some dreams I had while I was... dead, for lack of a better word. I doubt those will interest you, but I know for a fact that the one with my research in my memories will.”

“... This wasn’t yours.”

Before I smiled as Yami’s perception. Of course, he’d figure it out, Mokuba’s notebook was still in there.

“No, it wasn’t. Mokuba gave it to me. The first notebook is his, and I will kindly request for you not to read it. It’s something he wanted to share with me and me alone,” I said as I held it out for him to take, which he did.

“Fair enough. Which do you request I look at?”

“The second.”

And, at my invitation, opened the second notebook, taking a breath as he did. I knew there wasn’t much. I knew there wasn’t nearly enough to satisfy Yami’s urge to be reassured that he was alright, but I could only hope, only pray that he would find if only a bit of solace in the information he would find.

Was I surprised when he came to a halt? No. Did I feel him getting upset over the fact that I seemed to know more than he did? Yes. Was I worried when I stopped to turn to him, thinking he was going to scream? Hell yes.

“... Just how much did you know?”

So I steeled myself as I answered, “More than is probably written, although it’s completely gone now.”

Only to stand there and wait as the verbal lashing I’d expected never arrived. Only to crack an eye open as he sighed, shaking his head.

“... You’re not angry?” I tried, earning myself a deadpan glare. Ah, so he was angry.

“Pharaoh?”

He just no longer saw the point of it. Nothing would bring what I’d lost back, and no raging would change the fact that I’d hid information in plain sight. Hell, I had thought it. I just hadn’t said anything.

“If my memories and the... Thief happen to be right, then you are king. And the Millennium Items come from Egypt, probably long before Alexander the Great conquered it. That means you’re a Pharaoh and that — that you’re at least two thousand years old.”

But...

“Any clue why I would end up in an object that has... an evil intelligence?”

“None. My only guess is that it has to do with the Ring. The Ring and its Spirit.”

“The Thief, as you call him?”

“Yes. Just don’t ask what he stole. I got no idea.”

But if I was right...

“He stole more than enough souls during Monster World to justify it, along with taking Bakura away. One last question.”

“Yes?”

“Who is Mahaado?”

If I was right, this was why I hadn’t said a damn word until now.

“No idea. All I know is the name and that — that he’s tied to you in some way or another.”

“And that you acted like him.”

“Yes. Something about wanting to make sure that you didn’t — you didn’t end up dealing with something that you couldn’t take on. That was why I contained the Thief. I — I knew that you weren’t ready for him. You still aren’t.”

Timing. It had all been about timing. Telling Yami too soon would get him upset beyond recognition. He wouldn’t yell at me, but he would have snapped so many times, I wouldn’t have been able to put a word in. Too late, and he would have been left floundering in the dark too long. I not only had to play this by ear, but whatever I had laid down before was still affecting everything. Nothing would go as planned and, irony of ironies, I was the one who was going to put it all in motion. I had actually set myself up as a structural player, and now, it was coming to bite me in the ass.

“I took him on. I won. I can do it again.”

“Not if you want it to really end.”

I watched him blink.

“End? End how?”

And I took a shuddering breath, “There’s an end to this, Yami. A complete end. A happy end. We’re not there yet.”

Before taking my notebook as he handed it back to me, his hand going to cover his face for a moment before racking through his hair. He didn’t like this. He didn’t like this at all.

Neither did I.

“It’s going to get worse, isn’t it? Much worse.”

But I still nodded at the question, watching him sigh as he mumbled something unclear. I didn’t have to hear it, though. I didn’t even have to extend an ear. He was resigned. He was upset and angry, but willing. He’d known.

... No, no he hadn’t known. Yuugi had.

“Museum?”

And they both knew where their path led next.

“Yes.”

“... Can I ask for your company?”

But neither of them wanted to head in that direction alone.

“You may. You may and I will. If there’s anyway I can help you, I will.”


	48. Feeling

Have you ever had a feeling?

Have you ever sorted through your thoughts long enough that you start to notice things? That you find near patterns? Have you ever stood in front of something and were worried, almost afraid of it without any rhyme or reason to it while knowing that you’ve seen that object a thousand times and it’s never worried you before? Or have you ever wondered, sat down and actually wondered what the future had in store for you without ever really finding the answer and knowing, just knowing that for anything to start, you had to do something that had a big percentage of failure?

I know that there are words for it. I knew that anxiety, that fear, that scared shitless would very well summarize the feeling I had as I stood in front the Domino Art Museum, letting Yami pay for our tickets after giving him my share. But I also knew that no words, no goddamn word in the entire universe would do this feeling of dread, of absolute and disgusting dread justice.

It was like a wire. Like a live wire pumped with electricity that ran through me, making me hyper aware of the people there. It was that feeling of the first day of school all over again, only this time, we’d sought the feeling out and were willing to take it to the bitter end. It was like stepping along a predetermined path and not knowing what was at the end of it.

There could have been millions of people around us in the museum, I couldn’t see any of them. There could have been an accident next to us, E.M.Ts coming in to help out, and I’m not even sure either Yami or I would have even acknowledged it. I don’t think anything human could have stopped us from reaching the Egyptian exhibit, and I don’t think either of us was happy about it either.

“You alright?”

“Yeah, I’m okay. Just nervous.”

Just like neither of us could have continued on going as we entered the room of the exhibit, the place feeling strangely familiar, but that feeling finding itself drowned the moment we saw something that I knew was exactly what we were here for.

We weaved through the smaller articles. They could have been priceless for all that we knew and were probably the main reason for the exhibit, the priceless jewels did not matter in front of the feeling, the pull we felt coming from the back of the room, leaving us to stare at the enormous tablets as we tried to resume breathing.

Ever had a feeling?

“Are those... Duel Monsters?”

A feeling so great, it near suffocates you?

“That’s — That’s Exodia. Summoned Skull. What are they...?”

Or pulls you in a manner that’s so inviting, you just can’t help but answer?

Two tablets. One depicting a scene of Duel Monsters probably battling in the ancient sands for, hopefully, victory. That was the tablet that had Yami’s attention right now. My attention...

My attention was driven to the one to its left.

Two persons. One looking like Yuugi in the ancient past, the other seemingly like someone I knew, that I knew and would probably rage if he realized that he had been part of said past. Two monsters above them, Yuugi’s ever faithful Dark Magician and Kaiba’s powerful Blue Eyes White Dragon. And grief. Sadness curled in beyond relief, anger for actions beyond redemption. Actions and feelings so powerful, they had lived through the ages, leaking out but never freed, for freeing them would be asking for forgiveness and plea to gods that would no longer answer.

My trembling hand was in front of me before I could acknowledge it. My fingertips found the glass in a way that could barely be felt. But my eyes — my eyes no longer saw reality the moment they did. My eyes were blinded to the reality of concrete and insulation, finding sandstone and unbearable heat. My ears found the whistling winds of the world outside the walls as hands slowly reached out to caress stone. Sandstone that had been carved and decorated as if an epitaph.

The same drawings. The same two persons. The same _grief_.

“Megumi!”

I blinked. Blinked and looked up to see purple eyes that barely moved. I swallowed before trying to breathe again, trying to look around and noticing that my vision was both blurry and lower than it had been. And there was a lump in my throat that I could not dislodge.

“Megumi, are you alright?”

But all of that was not mine. All of that pain, that grief was not mine. It was...

I stood. I stood and, without hesitation, reached into my purse, this time bringing out a pencil along with my trusty notebook and settled on an empty page of the second book, the “title” of the page coming out like clockwork.

“... Seto? Megumi, what’s going on?”

“Vision,” was the only think I could say, though, as I started noting the details, the intricacy of the tablet in front of me. The two figures, the two monsters, the three seemingly carded monsters atop all of that, seemingly watching the match as if it was meant to please them. And the two, not one, but two similar symbols at the bottom of the characters, the one under the figure of “Seto” filled with fine hieroglyphs, the other under the figure of Yuugi empty, grossly chiseled out as if in anger or sadness — possibly both — denying me the hieroglyphs that should have been contained within it.

Whoever had built this had done so in full knowledge what he was doing. What he was leaving behind.

“I see that you have gained yourself a good assistant, my Pharaoh. That is wise.”

Who he was leaving it for was the thing I was iffy about.

We both turned. Well I turned after finally wiping my eyes free of the tears “Seto” had left behind, and Yami, still concerned and worried, stepped to my side as I closed the journal and put it away, fully intent on continuing my knowledge gathering later. Didn’t matter if I had to come back later, I would glean as many details as I could from these two tablets, if only to make sure that we weren’t going into this blind. If Duelist Kingdom had been bad, something told me that whatever this led to would make that particular tournament look like a walk in the park.

And if the presence of the lady from the article did not confirm that, nothing would.

“Who are you?”

“My name is Ishtar Ishizu, and I am part of a group that has protected a piece of the Pharaoh’s memories for thousands of years. I welcome you, Pharaoh, to your past.”

I listened to her speak, the lilt in her Japanese unmissed. Her chocolate skin was already a dead giveaway that she was not from here, but the accent, the slight differences in intonations confirmed something I somehow needed confirmed. She was real, she was alive. There was heat on her skin and a beating heart within her. She was part of this time and hadn’t learned Japanese to the extent of fluidity as Shaadi had.

Not all people that would come from Egypt were spirits, and that reassured me.

“You expected me.”

“Yes. As I expect great battles in your future, I expected you.”

“Great battles? In my future?”

“Yes, my Pharaoh. This city will soon be turned into a great stage. One of battle. Your future, my Pharaoh, is one of fight. All so you may regain your memories.”

And the other thing that was reassuring was the fact that she was making her Item’s powers obvious. That necklace that I could sense as a Millennium Item, was reading into the future so obviously and so clearly, I wouldn’t dare protest her visions.

She could see. She had that power. I’d just been playing up that power.

“How will I do that?”

“By collecting the seven Millennium Items, my Pharaoh. That is why you will join the battle. One of those Millennium Items will be part of it. It is your task to retrieve it from that enemy.”

“And yet-”

The last thing, though, was the part that intrigued me as I touched Yami’s arm, interrupting him as he looked to me as I shook my head, and watched him relax. The idea of an evil intelligence inhabiting the Items, contaminating them from the inside was something that had been in the Spirit’s mind for a long time. Yet, the woman’s item lacked any evil so to speak. She might have not been completely on our side, but that Millennium Item... wasn’t dark. That was good.

But it did not explain her hesitance the moment I caught Yami’s attention and the fact that she met his gaze with almost apprehension as he spoke. Had I done something?

“So I must participate in whatever battle this city becomes the stage for to retrieve that Item?”

“Yes, my Pharaoh.”

“I see. I have... one last question.”

“Then ask.”

“... Does the name Mahaado mean anything to you?”

I had. I definitely had, and I just had to look at Miss Ishtar’s face to know that whatever I had done was enough to either make her hesitant, or shake her enough to make her swallow near visibly in worry. This was not something she had planned for, that she’d foreseen. Or she’d seen it, and she didn’t know the answer.

“I am afraid not.”

And, from the fact that she spared a look in my direction with her answer, it might have been the latter. It might have been the latter, and she felt extremely uncomfortable with it.

Had her Item actually been faulting? How? Why? Had I messed up with the time-line that bad? Or did I...? I wasn’t supposed to exist, wasn’t I? She couldn’t see me? Was I a blind spot?

Only one way to find out.

“I... got a few questions myself, if you don’t mind. About the tablet, I mean.”

“What would you like to know?”

“Well, first, the three monsters around the Puzzle, what are they?”

She hesitated, then, with a quick look to Yami, answered, “Gods. The three gods the Pharaoh of old had access to.”

“How old is the tablet?”

“Three thousand years old.”

Three thousand... I swallowed that number and moved on to my last question.

“Last is more of a remark... There are some hieroglyphs missing.”

“Where, if I may ask?”

I moved away from the front of the tablet and pointed to the symbol where said hieroglyphs had been chiseled out only to watch her almost freeze. Looks like I had my answer.

... I just wasn’t sure how to take it.


	49. Being Useful

_Ishtar Ishizu_

_Owner: Millennium Item_

_Power: Sees the future (Glitching)_

_Alignment: Neutral to Good_

_Predisposition: Neutral to Hesitant_

_Cautions: Does not seem hostile, but her hesitation make it obvious that the time-line is moving although it seems clear. Apparent “glitches” in power says that power of her Millennium Item might be not completely reliable._

My pencil left the paper for a moment before the eraser went to tap the heavy cherry wood of the table. I did not like it. I did not like knowing that I’d messed up the time-line so bad, Miss Ishtar’s Millennium Item was on the fritz. It hadn’t completely shut down yet, so that meant that whatever course of action was coming wouldn’t change no matter who intervened — and, now that I thought about it, the only thing anyone could do was prevent the oncoming battle and, after seeing the look on Yami and Yuugi’s face, I wasn’t willing to deny them a chance at knowing more — but it was glitching. It was glitching and that did not reassure me.

Just like Miss Isthar’s lack of answer to my last remark.

It wasn’t that she’d decided that she had enough with my interrogation, oh no. And it wasn’t even because I’d had gotten enough waiting for an answer that wouldn’t come. I had enough patience to wait for her to thaw out. It was her answer that had managed to disturb Yami so badly, he had forced us to leave before things got nasty.

“ _Your remark is noted and I hope you will note mine. You might have a good eye, but you are a poor concealer.”_

It hadn’t taken a genius to decipher that comment, and it had taken Yami less than a second to realize what Miss Ishtar meant as her eyes lingered on my scarf.

She’d felt the Millennium Item I was wearing. She’d felt it long before she’d pointed it out and had expected the fritz around us. How and why was what I couldn’t figure out, but she knew that someone had done something to affect the time-line, and, with a bit more time and thought, chances were she’d figure out it was me.

And, right now with the fact that I was concentrating my efforts against a Ring that wanted my death, I couldn’t afford any more enemies.

“Wow, that’s... very descriptive.”

But it didn’t mean I didn’t have time for friends.

Another week gone and my promise for research had mostly flown out the goddamn window along with my homework. Only reason I wasn’t dragging in class was because of mom’s insistence on doing my homework as I came home from school, but Friday, as I was quickly finding out, was becoming dedicated to all the information that needed writing down. Screw homework, screw everything else, I was writing in my notebook like no tomorrow, freeing my mind and allowing for more space.

Which was quickly being crowded with the same dreams I’d been through while “dead”.

There were subtle changes. All the angels featured in one dream in particular before I’d wake up and the length would depend entirely on how long until they threw me off a cliff or something along those lines. But there was nothing specific to indicate why they were there, why they stuck around and why, why did that red angel insist on having my weapon.

Freaking weirdo.

“Ishtar Ishizu didn’t leave that good of an impression on you, did she?”

Made me glad that I had someone like Mokuba to hang around with.

I gave him a smile and finally answered, “Could have been worse. I just found it a bit weird. Like she knew everything and not at the same time. Good read on the concrete, but little details that could have been crucial moments, she couldn’t. I mean I know the future isn’t exactly set in stone, but... it seemed very strange that she had to... compensate? Is that the word?”

“Might be. What else did you get from your museum visit?”

Before I chuckled at his enthusiasm, flipping the notebook a page back to watch him blink before looking apprehensive.

“Um... Megumi, you know it’s rude to-”

“I know, don’t worry. It’s not your brother. He’s... tied to him, but it’s not him. Don’t ask me why, though. I can’t figure it out myself just yet.”

“Might be like you?”

“I doubt it. You see your brother walking around telling us what to do?”

Mokuba snickered, “You mean more than usual?”

And I joined in with a laugh, “Now that’s rude.”

Before it all died as the door to the dinning room opened, startling us both as we looked up, swallowing any other kind of reaction we might have.

I might have been happy for Mokuba’s presence, but there was one I could definitely live without.

Definitely, definitely live without as Kaiba Seto stepped into the room and snatched my notebook from me, ignoring my “hey!” of indignation and my silent fuming as he began to flip through it. Did he — Did he not know privacy?! Or did he expect my fear to stop me as he paged through my life without hesitance?!

“So you are of use.”

From the sound of it, the former. Definitely the former as he trust my notebook into my hand with the simple order of “Come”, only incensing me further.

That prick.

“Why should I?” I grit through my teeth as I stood up only to have something thrown at me that Mokuba caught as simply went to shield myself from whatever he’d thrown at me before I dared to look.

... A card? ... No. Not just a card. There was a pulse to it, a beating like drums attached to the card. This — This was...

“Flip it.”

Mokuba did as asked and I felt my breath catch in my throat before I looked at the open door Kaiba had left behind. I gently, carefully grabbed the card with a thank you before rushing after the selfish idiot who, from the fact that he didn’t turn at my arrival, had known exactly what he’d done.

“Who gave you this?”

“Ishtar Ishizu.”

“Why?”

“Partnership.”

“What did she want?”

“For me to collect the other two and give them back to her.”

“And why show this to me?”

“You’re as interested in the God Cards as I am.”

“For different reasons.”

“Do reasons matter?” he asked as he came to a sudden stop turning to a door before holding out his hand. I very reluctantly gave the card back, and he continued, opening the door and going down the steps. “We have a common goal, I have something you want and you have something I want. Reasons behind said agreement are not important.”

“They should be,” I snapped, earning myself an impassive look from cold blue eyes.

“Does that mean you’re refusing the opportunity I’m about to give you?”

“... Opportunity?”

“Like I said, Honda, you have something I want and I have something you want. You want a chance at figuring out your apparent mysteries behind these cards, I want the cards themselves. If they return into Ishtar’s hands, we lose. Do you want that?”

I breathed, “... No.”

“Then we have a mutual goal. And if your entire point is to be kind, then you will help me.”

“With what?!”

“With this.”


	50. Creating a Duelist

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, I'm sorry. I'm sorry it took me so long to get back to this, I'm sorry I honestly wasn't able to keep up with everything, and I'm really sorry that the only thing I can do is resume where I left off. I'm really, really sorry for all the wait and everything else it involves. I really want to apologize to all those of you who have been anxiously waiting for me to keep going.
> 
> Second, and I honestly wish this was about something else, the reason it took this long was because of a terrible, terrible situation I honestly couldn't find a way out of. I thought I had finally found a permanent job before it started to drain the life out of me, sucking away my motivation and everything that came with it.
> 
> Third... I'm still recovering. Having my morals and my entire being compromised by something that you don't feel right doing sucks a lot out of you. I don't like lying, I avoid lying as much as I can because of it, and I can say after two weeks of doing what everyone thought best... I'm officially upset, tired and sick of having to lie through my teeth to people who deserve better.
> 
> Finally... to all the people out there looking to get treatments or seen by a doctor... please go somewhere where you're not going to have to fight for your life. You're already in massive pain. You shouldn't have to deal with bureaucracy at that point and whoever says you do, they're in it for the money.

I hadn’t even had the time to realize that I was starting to have a routine, this time.

Yes, it had been hectic. Yes, the fact that in had involved a fire and the start of something bigger than everyone in my group had been noted too many times to count. But it had been routine, for lack of a better word, and it had been holding steady in the past few days and weeks along with been fun. Shaadi was kind despite his strictness. Yami was starting to mellow out. Mokuba was, like always, a great friend.

“How do you keep losing?!”

Nothing like his slave driver of a brother.

He’d trusted me with a company secret that I had to hold back on at least until the summer. He’d given me the equivalent of a prototype of something called a duel disk but looked nothing like a disk at all. He’d handed me a Duel Monster deck and given me the explicit rules of his upcoming “tournament” — He was turning the city into a battleground for an entire day, explaining the whole spiel Miss Ishtar had been on about — before throwing me into what he’d called a training simulation in which I ended up losing more times than I could count.

By the end of Saturday — he’d made an official invitation for me to come and had even insisted on dropping me and my brother off so that he could make it an entire scene, the prick — I wanted to smack the duel disk into his gut. By the end of the following week, I wanted to take said duel disk and make the expression “having a stick up someone’s ass” a very literal one.

I settled for yelling at his face, though.

“Ever thought that I know nothing of the goddamn game?!”

And watch him pale behind the glass he was so comfortably encased in with sweating scientists as he slammed his fist against said glass and stormed out seconds later, making Mokuba who’d been sitting next to his brother until that very moment flinch.

It was an oral contract. I very much knew that. There had been no doted line to sign, no license agreement that had been made. This was a very, very oral contract for the sake of privacy and the fact that Kaiba Seto had no intention on showing that he needed someone from the “loser crowd” that Yuugi’s group was.

But I also realized by the end of the first Saturday that this — this was a mutual agreement I needed to get behind. That neither Kaiba nor me could walk out of, and not just because of the God Cards he was intent on keeping away from Miss Ishtar’s careful hands.

He’d seen the fact that her visions had been faulty. He’d loved the fact that she’d hesitated, if only for a second, when she’d been so confident the night she’d spoken to him. And he’d deduced that out of all the people who could destabilize someone that confident, it had to be someone that had, apparently, lived through death.

He needed me on merit alone and the fact that I was friends with Mokuba was bonus.

And my reasons?

Yami was going to need help. He was going to need all the help he could get. He was going to try to obtain a Millennium Item with powers unknown from the tournament. Who knew what that Item would do without the proper handling, and who knew how strong it was? Not to mention the fact that the Ring, the Thief was sure to see an opportunity. He would see the opportunity and I couldn’t sit and watch as Yuugi and Yami fought two evils at once. I needed to fight. And the fact that this — the disk around my arm felt right didn’t help at all.

Yes. The disk felt right. It was those damn cards that didn’t.

“You really have to yell at my big brother like that?”

“I’m not lying, Mokuba.”

“I know, I just... ugh. Give me a minute.”

It was that goddamn deck that I knew Kaiba had built because I could feel his imprints all over the cards and that refused to obey me despite my efforts to work with them. I forgot effects, ended up with fewer monsters than I should have had, and, while the deck had a wonderful synergy — I would never say that Kaiba didn’t know what he was doing when he built the deck — it just didn’t work with me. Powerful, but too lonely. It didn’t need me.

That was why, like every time I made my way to the booth where the Kaiba brothers had been while disengaging the disk, I felt dejected.

I put the disk away, on a table near the door of the simulation chamber, before settling with a sigh in a chair facing the simulation, not bothering to open my eyes and instead rubbing the bridge of my nose in hopes of getting rid of the budding headache I knew would be a full-blown migraine by Sunday. I thanked whoever it was that put a glass against the counter — the distinct sound of glass against glass was unmistakable — and, after giving it a sniff to make sure that there were no odd smells, downed the glass, glad for the refreshment, and settled in the chair further, trying to rest.

Said rest lasted until the door opened and I felt a very angry aura coming from it.

Oh great.

I snapped an eye open to watch Kaiba glare at me, “What?”

“Come with me.”

“I’m not signing anymore contracts, Kaiba.”

“Will you just get up, so we can this over with!”

But still got up as asked only to wish I hadn’t.

No, he didn’t grab me by my ponytail and drag me throughout the house, but he might as well had. He jabbed, he pushed, and he gave no explanation as he continued to shove me around, making me land on my front once we got to a small room with shelves upon shelves of containers.

“You have an hour,” was the last thing I heard before the door slammed closed, making me freeze before I rushed to the door, slamming my fists against it before jiggling the handle.

Locked. Great. Just fucking great.

I heard screaming on the other side of the door as I slid against it. I buried my face into my hands as I made out the distinct sounds of Mokuba screaming at his brother, too far for me to hear the words being said, but, from the sound of it, it was an argument. A heated argument, at that. About what? I could only hope at this point that it was about his brother locking me for an hour in a room with nothing to do.

... Nothing but listen to chimes coming from the different containers?

I got up. I slowly, carefully got up before approaching the loudest container, pulling it out and setting it down before opening it, the scent of aging paper playing in my nostrils.

Paper?

... Cards. Duel monster cards. Thousands upon thousands of them stacked in an order that seemed easy to determine as all the cards in front of me were a specific type.

Angels.

I felt my pulse pick up. I felt my breath near stop.

And, when I pulled out the first chime, the first pulse, I was left to blink as my legs near gave out from under me.

It — It couldn’t be...


End file.
